JUSTICE

Coroners

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the longest time taken to conclude a Treasure inquest was in each of the last three years.

Bridget Prentice: The Ministry of Justice collects statistics on the number of finds under the Treasure Act 1996 reported to coroners in England and Wales during each calendar year, the number of treasure inquests concluded during the year and, of these, the number of verdicts of treasure returned. Information is not collected on the time taken to conduct treasure inquests.
	Informal figures are collated by the British Museum, which record the time between the inquest being requested by the British Museum and a verdict being returned. However, these figures only relate to treasure inquests which have been requested since 2006. The figures do not include inquests which were requested in earlier years, and so they do not reveal the longest time taken for treasure inquests which were concluded in each of the last three years. The British Museum figures show that the current longest-running ongoing treasure inquest was requested by them in March 2007.

Family Courts: Fees and Charges

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  when he plans to appoint an independent person to lead the review of the effect of court fees in children protection; and which candidates are being considered for the role;
	(2)  when he expects the review of the effects of court fees on child protection to be completed.

Bridget Prentice: The Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) has appointed Francis Plowden to lead the review. His report is expected in September 2009.

Fraud: Civil Proceedings

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether recourse regarding alleged fraud in entries in  (a) deed and  (b) title plans is provided through the civil courts.

Bridget Prentice: Allegations of fraud may lead to proceedings in civil or criminal courts, or both. Fraudulent misrepresentation (or "deceit"), whether or not it leads to a particular entry being made in an individual register or title plan, is a tort. The civil courts have jurisdiction to hear these cases.
	In addition, disputes arising out of objections to applications to Land Registry are referred to the Adjudicator to HM Land Registry, an independent tribunal. Such objections may involve, for example, an allegation that a deed was executed as a result of fraudulent misrepresentation. Decisions of the Adjudicator may be the subject of an appeal to the High Court.

HM Inspectorate of Probation: Statistics

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much time was spent by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation in assessing ethnic monitoring statistics in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009.

David Hanson: Such figures are not precisely discernible. This information is valuable. HM Inspectorate of Probation considers the regular information produced by NOMS on the ethnicity of offenders as background to each of its individual inspections. HMI Probation is able to segment findings over a whole inspection programme by a number of characteristics including race, but this does not involve any additional inspection resources.

Mentally Incapacitated

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what remit the Court Funds Office has to manage funds on behalf of Court of Protection clients.

Bridget Prentice: The Court Funds Office provides a banking and investment service to the civil courts in England and Wales, including the Court of Protection. Where the Court of Protection has directed that funds be lodged with the Court Funds Office, or where a deputy appointed to manage funds on behalf of a Court of Protection client has chosen to lodge funds with the Court Funds Office, those funds are dealt with as directed by the deputy, in accordance with the Court of Protection order. The Court Funds Office does not make investment decisions, or deal with funds lodged other than as instructed by the deputy or by way of a direction from the Court of Protection,

Mentally Incapacitated

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) enduring powers of attorney have been applied for and  (b) living wills have been made in each year since the Mental Capacity Act 2005 came into force; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Mental Capacity Act 2005 was fully implemented on 1 October 2007. It introduced new Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPAs) to enable people to appoint someone to make decisions on their behalf in relation to their property and affairs and/or their health and welfare.
	In addition, Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPAs) made prior to October 2007 remain valid.
	EPAs only need to be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) once the person to whom they relate has lost capacity.
	All LPAs must be registered with the OPG before they can be used. Between October 2007 and September 2008 the OPG received
	21,200 applications to register EPAs.
	9,600 applications to register health and welfare LPAs
	28,500 applications to register property and affairs LPAs
	During the period October 2008 to January 2009 the OPG received
	8,200 applications to register EPAs.
	6,000 applications to register health and welfare LPAs
	22,000 applications to register property and affairs LPAs
	The Mental Capacity Act 2005 gave statutory force to valid and applicable advance decisions to refuse treatment (previously also sometimes referred to as 'living wills'). The Ministry of Justice has no information regarding how many advance decisions have been made.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much was spent by HM Inspectorate of Probation assessing diversity issues during the delivery of restrictive interventions to offenders in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009.

David Hanson: Precise figures are not discernible. A major element of HM Inspectorate of Probation's inspections is an assessment of the effectiveness of the management of offenders' Risk of Harm to the public, including the delivery of restrictive interventions, in a representative sample of individual cases. While the Inspectorate's assessment of the effectiveness of the delivery of restrictive interventions takes into account any diversity issues, the latter forms only a small—though important—part of that assessment.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Big Lottery Fund: Equality

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 25 June 2008,  Official Report, column 331W, on regional planning and development: electronic government, how much the Big Lottery Fund has provided for each regional equality and diversity partnership to date; and for what purposes such funds have been provided.

Barbara Follett: Information from the DCMS Lottery grants database, which is searchable at:
	www.lottery.culture.gov.uk
	uses information supplied by lottery distributing bodies and indicates that a grant of £495,933 was paid by the Big Lottery Fund to Equality South West in November 2007. The purpose of this award was to support the development of the organisation's work in training voluntary and community organisations to ensure that equality and diversity are systemic within their work.

Museums and Galleries

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many educational visits have been made to publicly funded museums in each region in each year since 1997.

Barbara Follett: Figures are not available for all museums. The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council advises that regional figures for museum visits specifically in regard to the Renaissance programme 2002-08 are as follows.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of educational visits to Renaissance hub museums 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 North West 62,175 61,750 68,456 78,669 81,456 71,397 
			 North East 92,033 102,821 115,180 115,053 111,780 125,891 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 110,299 104,318 96,165 96,479 109,792 111,872 
			 West Midlands 116,599 133,618 157,202 157,780 156,132 141,422 
			 East Midlands 114,216 111,278 94,027 89,889 87,691 93,953 
			 East of England 50,310 50,744 56,233 63,814 67,462 81,341 
			 South West 36,976 56,262 62,646 57,133 54,175 59,123 
			 South East 24,650 60,834 105,555 98,743 110,336 115,732 
			 London 69,322 81,181 87,782 78,558 84,905 95,351 
			 Total 676,580 762,806 843,246 836,118 863,729 896,082 
		
	
	Since 2001-02, 18(1) of DCMS's sponsored museums have collected figures measuring the number of children aged 16 and under attending on and off-site organised educational sessions. DCMS cannot disaggregate the data by region, to provide a regional breakdown, because some institutions who have branches across different parts of the country provide a single return for the organisation. The figures are as follows:
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Number 
			 2001-02 1,705,634 
			 2002-03 2,256,386 
			 2003-04 2,270,448 
			 2004-05 2,785,155 
			 2005-06 2,722,094 
			 2006-07 2,894,499 
			 2007-08 3,525,037 
		
	
	(1) British Museum, Geffrye Museum, Horniman Museum, Imperial War Museum, Museum of London, Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, National Gallery, National Maritime Museum, National Museums Liverpool, National Museum of Science and Industry, National Portrait Gallery, Natural History Museum, Royal Armouries, Sir John Soane's Museum, Tate Gallery, Tyne and Wear Museums Service, Victoria and Albert Museum and Wallace Collection.

National Lottery: Coastal Areas

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Heritage Lottery funding was provided to each of the principal seaside towns in England and Wales from the inception of the Heritage Lottery to date, listed in descending order of amount of funding.

Barbara Follett: The Heritage Lottery Fund was founded in 1994. The Heritage Lottery Fund has advised that Heritage Lottery funding as provided to each of the principal seaside towns in England and Wales since that date is as follows.
	
		
			  HLF funding for principal seaside towns in England and Wales  since 1994 
			  Town  Total value of project (£) 
			 Barry 1,446,161 
			 Bognor Regis 1,866,292 
			 Bridlington 307,521 
			 Burnham-on-Sea 439,731 
			 Clacton-on-Sea 601,270 
			 Dawlish/Teignmouth 587,368 
			 Deal 355,866 
			 Eastbourne 2,789,531 
			 Exmouth 95,709 
			 Falmouth 22,171,173 
			 Folkestone/Hythe 4,921,621 
			 Great Yarmouth 6,865,010 
			 (Greater) Blackpool 7,933,638 
			 (Greater) Bournemouth 3,774,209 
			 (Greater) Brighton 14,023,150 
			 (Greater) Worthing 2,324,665 
			 Hastings/Bexhill 8,838,763 
			 Ilfracombe 1,537,824 
			 Isle of Wight(1) 6,755,735 
			 Llandudno/Colwyn Bay 2,691,304 
			 Lowestoft 5,605,289 
			 Minehead 1,091,431 
			 Morecambe 365,624 
			 Newquay 135,960 
			 Penzance 7,576,752 
			 Porthcawl 103,743 
			 Rhyl/Prestatyn 2,854,951 
			 Scarborough 3,890,353 
			 Sidmouth 1,335,159 
			 Skegness 1,883,154 
			 Southend-on-Sea 1,851,142 
			 Southport 5,917,842 
			 St. Ives 781,309 
			 Swanage 3,395,728 
			 Thanet(2) 7,492,243 
			 Torbay(3) 9,783,519 
			 Weston-Super-Mare 2,402,646 
			 Weymouth 2,948,901 
			 Whitby 10,586,503 
			 Whitley Bay 492,117 
			 Whitstable/Herne Bay 4,033,126 
			 Grand total 164,854,032 
			 (1) Includes only the resorts of Cowes, Ryde, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor (2) Includes only the resorts of Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate and Westgate (3) Includes only the resorts of Brixham, Paignton and Torquay

Playing Fields: Private Sector

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many playing fields owned by private companies there are; and how many such fields have closed in the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 6 March 2009
	Sport England has advised that as of January 2009 Active Places data show private companies own 391 sites containing 901 (grass) pitches.
	At present, Active Places, which was set up in 2004, does not capture historical data on the number of fields owned by private companies which have closed in the last 10 years.
	Sport England are in the process of collecting further data on public and privately owned facilities, including closures where possible, and hope to conclude that work by the end of 2009.

Sports: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to tackle anti-Semitism in  (a) football and  (b) other sports; what recent representations he has received on the issue; what recent meetings he has had with the Football Association on the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: While I have received no recent representations or held any recent meetings on the issue of tackling anti-Semitism in sport, I remain fully committed to a sporting landscape free from all forms of discrimination. To this end:
	 (a) Football treats anti-Semitism as an offence under the ground regulations, thereby empowering the clubs and police to take action if abuse occurs. The Football Association also provides funding for the Kick It Out campaign, which tackles anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination through the Equality Standard for professional clubs. In addition, the Football Association also jointly hosted a seminar on Tackling Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia in April 2008, and the subsequently convened working group will report its findings to the FA board in April 2009.
	 (b) Other sports receiving Government funding through Sport England and UK Sport for the 2009-13 period will do so on the basis of their compliance with the Equality Standard for Sport. The standard forbids discrimination on the grounds of gender, marital status, race, colour, religion, disability, age, occupation, religion or political opinion.

Swimming

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what provision for water safety will be included in the Free Swimming Programme; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Free Swimming Programme will be delivered in pools owned by participating local authorities, on Health and Safety Executive-enforced premises. All operators are required to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of their operations and to identify necessary control measures. The Health and Safety Executive supplies extensive guidance to help them do this.

Tourism

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 9 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1556W on Tourism, on which dates the Minister for Tourism met heads of Tourism in the nine regional development agencies in the last 12 months.

Barbara Follett: I met the South West Regional Development Agency Chair on 8 January 2009 and 11 December 2008. A meeting with all the regional development agency tourism leads has been arranged for April 2009.

Tourism: South West

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding his Department has provided in respect of the tourism responsibilities of the South West Regional Development Agency in 2008-09.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 18 March 2009
	 In the financial year 2008-09 DCMS allocated £3.5 million to regional development agencies for tourism. The South West of England Regional Development Agency have advised that their allocation was £403,000.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Security

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what his most recent assessment is of the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Paul Goggins: The level of threat from dissident republicans, as evidenced by attacks at Antrim and Craigavon, continues to be assessed as "Severe". These are reckless and callous individuals who are seeking to drag Northern Ireland back to the misery of the past. The people of all communities are united in demonstrating that they will not be allowed to succeed.

Police Service of Northern Ireland: Housing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of the Special Purchase for Evacuated Dwellings scheme for police officers in Northern Ireland in 2008-09.

Paul Goggins: The Scheme for the Purchase of Evacuated Dwellings (SPED) is a matter for the devolved administration.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Occupational Health

Ian Gibson: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission if the Commission will assess the adequacy of provision of occupational health and welfare services in the House for  (a) hon. Members and their staff and  (b) civil servants who work on the Parliamentary Estate.

Nick Harvey: The Safety, Health and Wellbeing Service provides a comprehensive occupational health service to hon. Members, Peers, and staff employed by both Houses. Hon. Members are entitled to regular health screening on request and can also self-refer for a consultation with the occupational health adviser or physician, if they believe that their work is having a detrimental effect on their health. There is also an emergency GP service available locally to Members. Given that the House is not the employer of Members' staff, it does not routinely provide occupational health services to them. The Parliamentary Welfare Service is aimed at staff of both Houses and does not formally provide welfare services for Members or their staff; but Members and their staff can ask for informal advice and guidance on the best way to deal with issues of concern. There is no provision for occupational health and welfare services for any civil servants who work on the Parliamentary Estate, as they have adequate access via their own employer.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Written Questions: Government Responses

Paul Burstow: To ask the Leader of the House how many questions tabled to each Department for written answer on a named day were  (a) answered with a holding answer,  (b) answered on the named day,  (c) answered later than the named day and  (d) not answered in each of the last four years; how many questions tabled to each Department for ordinary written answer were (i) answered within two weeks of tabling, (ii) answered more than two weeks after tabling and (iii) not answered in each such year; and what the (A) average and (B) maximum time taken by each Department to answer such questions was in each such year.

Chris Bryant: The information that the hon. Member has requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The statistics for written parliamentary questions tabled to the Leader of the House of Commons for the past four Sessions are detailed in the table.
	
		
			  Session  Percentage of named day questions answered on the specified day  Percentage of ordinary written answered within five working days  Average number of sitting days to answer ordinary written questions 
			 2004-05 100 (14 of 14) 97 (38 of 39) 2.9 
			 2005-06 100 (72 of 72) 100 (189 of 189) 2.8 
			 2006-07 100 (40 of 40) 99 (163 of 165) 2.7 
			 2007-08 100 (40 of 40) 99.5 (201 of 202) 2.9

DEFENCE

Departmental Manpower

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) permanent,  (b) agency and  (c) temporary staff on contracts of (i) up to three months, (ii) between three and six months, (iii) between six and 12 months and (iv) 12 months or more there are in each directorate of his Department.

Kevan Jones: The figures for civilian staff, excluding Trading Funds and Locally Employed Civilians, are as follows (at 17 March 2009):
	
		
			  Permanent staff by top level budget (TLB) 
			   Number 
			 Air Command 8,685 
			 Central 16,885 
			 Chief of Joint Operations 343 
			 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 2,396 
			 Defence Equipment and Support 17,114 
			 Defence Estates 2,707 
			 Land Forces 16,437 
			 Science Innovation and Technology 332 
			 Total 64,899 
		
	
	
		
			  Agency staff by TLB 
			   Number 
			 Air Command 572 
			 Central 274 
			 Chief of Joint Operations 162 
			 Commander-in-Chief Fleet 74 
			 Defence Equipment and Support 438 
			 Defence Estates 204 
			 Land Forces 210 
			 Science Innovation Technology 32 
			 Total 1,966 
		
	
	
		
			  Temporary staff by TLB 
			Number 
			  Air Command 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 1 
			  6-12 months 113 
			  12 months plus 44 
			 TLB Sub-Total  158 
			
			  Central 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 1 
			  6-12 months 54 
			  12 months plus 112 
			 TLB Sub-Total  167 
			
			  Chief of Joint Operations 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 0 
			  6-12 months 1 
			  12 months plus 10 
			 TLB Sub-Total  11 
			
			  Commander in Chief Fleet 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 0 
			  6-12 months 16 
			  12 months plus 29 
			 TLB Sub-Total  45 
			
			  Defence Equipment and Support 0-3 months 2 
			  3-6 months 22 
			  6-12 months 84 
			  12 months plus 55 
			 TLB Sub-Total  163 
			
			  Defence Estates 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 0 
			  6-12 months 16 
			  12 months plus 8 
			 TLB Sub-Total  24 
			
			  Land Forces 0-3 months 2 
			  3-6 months 6 
			  6-12 months 206 
			  12 months plus 492 
			 TLB Sub-Total  706 
			
			  Science Innovation Technology 0-3 months 0 
			  3-6 months 0 
			  6-12 months 1 
			  12 months plus 1 
			 TLB Sub-Total  2 
			
			  Grand Total  1,276 
		
	
	These figures are derived from the Department's central system, and it is possible that some engagement of agency staff (who are not employees) may not be recorded where arrangements have been made locally.

USA: Military Alliances

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes of 3 November 2008,  Official Report, column 71W, on USA: military alliances, on what date and at which location the next Stocktake meeting between the Government and the US administration under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement will take place.

Quentin Davies: Arrangements have not been finalised but it is intended that the next Stocktake meeting will take place in early June in the UK.

Welsh Language

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost of translation services under his Department's Welsh language scheme was in 2008.

Kevan Jones: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Welsh Language

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations were received from the Welsh Language Board during his Department's consultation on its Welsh language scheme.

Kevan Jones: We received no representations from the Welsh Language Board during the public consultation on the Welsh Language Scheme. However, during the process of updating the scheme, officials from MOD and the Welsh Language Board met on several occasions as well as having regular exchanges of correspondence.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 13 June 2008,  Official Report, column 616W, on apprentices, what progress his Department has made towards meeting its share of the Government's commitment to employ over 1,000 apprentices in central Government departments and agencies in 2008-09; and how many apprentices his Department now employs.

Jonathan R Shaw: In reply to the questions asked, I refer to the Government Skills cross-Government response recorded on 24 February 2009,  Official Report, column 741W.

Child Benefit: Foreigners

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what checks he requires to be made on the validity of documentation supplied by non-UK EU citizens in the course of child benefit claims;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of non-UK EU citizens claiming child benefit; and how many children in respect of whom such benefit is paid are not resident in the UK.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	Any person making a claim for child benefit must provide documentary evidence of the child being claimed for, such as an original birth certificate, adoption certificate or passport. HMRC checks the validity of this document upon receipt. All claims for child benefit are subject to a wide range of checks throughout the life of each claim and it would be inappropriate to disclose a complete list of such checks as to do so may provide assistance to those attempting to defraud the system. Claims by EU migrant workers to family benefits in the UK (child benefit and child tax credit) are subject to additional checks between HMRC and the competent authorities of the other member state on the composition of the worker's family resident in that other state and whether family benefits are in payment there.
	I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him of 13 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1306W, for my response to his request for estimates of receipts.

Clear

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Angus of 27 March 2006,  Official Report, column 740W, on public relations companies, what payments have been made to the communications consultancy, Clear, since March 2006; for what projects; and at what cost.

Jonathan R Shaw: According to our records, no such payments have been made.

Cycling

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to implement Cycle to Work schemes for staff working in his Department and its agencies.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department now has in place arrangements to make financial support available to staff working in the Department and its agencies who wish to cycle to work.
	These arrangements make it possible for staff to purchase a cycle and the necessary safety equipment through a salary advance scheme. This arrangement can provide an interest-free advance of their salary so they can purchase the cycle and safety equipment of their choice. In addition staff can also use the Department's staff benefits scheme, which provides the opportunity for staff to purchase the cycle and safety equipment at a significant discount from a choice of three retail outlets.
	These arrangements are comparable to Cycle to Work schemes being operated in a number of organisations and are also viewed as being of better value in support of the Department's staff who wish to cycle to work.

Departmental Car Allowances

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mileage allowance  (a) his Department,  (b) its executive agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies pays per mile to its staff.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 13 March 2009
	There are a range of mileage allowances available to staff in DWP, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) who undertake business travel. The rate of mileage allowance payable will depend on the type of vehicle being used and whether the vehicle is privately owned or provided by the Department. The rates are based on the rates set by HMRC under the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments.
	
		
			  Mileage rates paid by DWP and all associated NDPBs 
			   £ per mile 
			  Privately-owned vehicle  
			 Higher standard rate (up to 6,000 miles) 0.40 
			 Lower standard rate (over 6000 miles) 0.25 
			   
			  Vehicle provided by DWP  
			 Private user scheme—petrol 0.15 
			 Private user scheme—diesel 0.13 
			 Private user scheme—LPG 0.08 
			 Motor cycle 0.24 
			 Passenger supplement (per passenger) 0.02 
			 Pedal cycle 0.20 
			 Candidates for civil service posts—motor cars 0.25 
			 Candidates for civil service posts—motor cycles 0.24 
		
	
	In addition, DWP will only pay the higher standard rate to the first 1,000 miles unless the employee has an approved business case, in which case the higher standard rate is paid up to 6,000 miles.
	The Pensions Protection Fund, Independent Living Fund and Health and Safety Executive pay at the above rates with the exception that the higher standard rate is paid for the first 10,000 miles.
	Remploy pay the higher standard rate for the first 4,000 miles and the lower standard rate for any mileage above 4,000. Company car users receive £0.20 per mile regardless of total mileage.

Departmental Scientists

Ian Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department's budget for scientific advice and research is in 2008-09; for what purposes the equivalent budget for 2007-08 was used; and how many people employed in his Department have a science or engineering degree.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department does not undertake research into science, technology, engineering or mathematics as usually defined. The only advice which partly requires scientific input comes from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. Its budget for 2008-09 was £70,932; it has been similarly funded by DWP and predecessor Departments since its creation in 1948. The secretariat includes one post for which a scientific degree qualification is required. No information is held on other people employed in the Department with a science or engineering degree as it is not a requirement for holding other posts.

Discrimination: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, column 436W, on discrimination: disabled, which stakeholders he held meetings with; when each meeting was held; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of each meeting.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 9 February 2009
	I met with a number of stakeholders at the largest consultation event, which was held in London on 11 December. I provided an introduction to the event and answered questions from the floor.
	My officials held four consultation events, three in London and one in Edinburgh. The London events were held on 4, 11 and 15 December; the Edinburgh event was held on 9 December. Stakeholders were invited to attend and the consultation events were also publicised through the Office for Disability Issues website, the Office for Disability Issues newsletter (which reaches approximately 2,000 people), and via charities who raised the profile of the consultation through their own emails and websites. Following is a list which gives a selection of organisations which attendees came from. Notes were taken at each event and a summary will be included in the Government's response to the consultation, which is currently being prepared. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library on publication.
	Informal meetings between officials and stakeholder groups have also taken place. Those stakeholder organisations with which informal discussions were held included the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Disabilities Charity Consortium (DCC). The DCC is an informal coalition of charities made up of Leonard Cheshire Disability, Mencap, Mind, RNIB, RNID, RADAR, Scope, The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and Sense. Minutes of these meetings were not taken due to their informal nature.
	Alzheimer's Society
	British Dyslexia Association
	Cheshire Constabulary
	Disability Voice Bromley
	Equality 2025
	Equality and Human Rights Commission
	Guide Dogs for the Blind Association
	Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
	Independent
	Leonard Cheshire Disability
	London borough of Ealing
	London borough of Hounslow
	National AIDS Trust
	National Deaf Children's Society
	National Housing Federation
	Public and Commercial Services Union
	RADAR
	Spinal Injuries Association
	Techmobility
	Trade Union Disability Alliance
	UNISON
	Unite The Union
	IDS Employment Law Brief
	Discrimination Law Association
	Russell Jones and Walker
	Wandsworth and Merton Law Centre
	Addleshaw Goddard
	Coventry Law Centre
	The Law Society
	Disability Law Service
	Skill
	One Essex Court Chambers
	Birmingham Law Centre
	London Probation
	KPMG UK LLP
	Goldsmiths, University of London
	Future Inclusion
	National Landlords Association
	Employers' Forum on Disability
	Disability Forward Limited
	CBI

Health Professions: Manpower

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Secretaries of State for Health, Children Schools and Families and Innovation, Universities and Skills on workforce planning for the allied health professions.

Jonathan R Shaw: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and advice. It is not the usual practice of Government to disclose details of such meetings.

Housing Benefit

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each constituency have received housing benefit based on local reference rents in each of the last four years.

Kitty Ussher: Housing benefit information is not available at constituency level.

Incapacity Benefit

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have claimed incapacity benefit in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants in each year since August 1997 
			   Great Britain  North East Government office region  South Tyneside local authority  Jarrow parliamentary constituency 
			  August 
			 1997 2,829,000 196,000 12,200 5,800 
			 1998 2,759,900 186,600 11,500 5,700 
			 1999 2,721,500 185,240 11,600 6,080 
			 2000 2,745,460 185,790 11,520 5,940 
			 2001 2,794,330 189,050 11,680 6,070 
			 2002 2,800,130 188,710 11,760 6,090 
			 2003 2,807,290 187,160 11,430 5,930 
			 2004 2,804,980 182,790 11,020 5,680 
			 2005 2,755,460 176,190 10,550 5,450 
			 2006 2,712,850 170,250 10,320 5,290 
			 2007 2,671,210 163,600 10,020 5,120 
			 2008 2,620,420 156,290 9,540 4,810 
			  Note: 100 per cent. figures are rounded to the nearest 10, 5 per cent. figures are rounded to the nearest 100 and have been uprated to be consistent with Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data.  Source: Data pre-1999: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample and Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study data. Data from 1999 onwards: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department and its agencies have engaged actors, musicians or other performers from time to time, however details of any such engagements are not collated centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Christmas

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether it is the Cabinet Office's policy to offer staff  (a) additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping and  (b) Christmas bonus payments;
	(2)  whether it is the policy of the Prime Minister's Office to offer staff  (a) additional leave entitlement for Christmas shopping and  (b) Christmas bonus payments.

Tom Watson: No.

Crime Prevention: Internet

James Brokenshire: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of levels of public awareness of the Get Safe On-line website; what assessment he has made of the website's effectiveness in reducing levels of online crime; and how much he plans to spend on promoting awareness of the website in 2009-10;
	(2)  if he will make potential threat information received from the National Fraud Reporting Centre available on the Get Safe On-line website.

Tom Watson: Get Safe Online is a joint public and private sector initiative to raise awareness of internet safety. Its work includes not only a website but community events, educational publicity campaigns, roundtable discussions and conferences as well as general PR and marketing activity to reach a broad audience and help inform general internet users of how to go online safely and with confidence. Research carried out in November 2008 showed that 22 per cent. of people were spontaneously aware of Get Safe Online. www.getsafeonline.org currently has over 291,000 links on the Internet compared to its US counterpart www.staysafeonline.info which has 11,000 links. The research also highlights an improvement in steps people are taking to prevent themselves falling victim to online crime such as a decrease in the number of people opening e-mail attachments from unknown sources and an increase in those updating their software, although it is difficult to directly attribute this to the campaign activity.
	The Cabinet Office has sponsored Get Safe Online for the past four financial years. Budgets for 2009-10 are yet to be determined in relation to my Department's sponsorship of Get Safe Online. Get Safe Online has agreed to promote relevant internet fraud alerts from the National Fraud Reporting Centre.

Death

Anne Milton: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many death certificates included the words  (a) smoking,  (b) knife injuries,  (c) obesity,  (d) anorexia,  (e) bulimia and  (f) influenza in the cause of death section in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many death certificates included the words  (a) legionnaires' disease,  (b) self-harm,  (c) cataract,  (d) tuberculosis,  (e) measles,  (f) mumps and (g) rubella in the cause of death section in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions asking:
	1) How many death certificates included  (a) smoking,  (b) knife,  (c) overweight,  (d) anorexia,  (e) bulimia and  (f) influenza in the cause of death section in each of the last five years. (264116)
	2) How many death certificates included  (a) Legionnaires' disease,  (b) self-harm,  (c) cataract,  (d) tuberculosis,  (e) measles,  (f) mumps and  (g) rubella in the cause of death section m each of the last five years. (264117)
	The accurate reporting of deaths by specific causes depends on the complete recording of all relevant causes of death by medical practitioners and coroners. Medical practitioners are required to complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) to the best of their knowledge and belief. Internationally accepted guidance from the World Health Organisation requires only those conditions that contributed directly to death to be recorded, and medical practitioners and coroners are not supposed to record all of the diseases or conditions present at or before death. Whether a condition contributed is a matter for their clinical judgment. The MCCD is not designed to collect information on risk factors or exposures related to the development of disease, such as smoking behaviour.
	The tables attached provide the number of deaths where:
	1)  (a) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco (b) contact with sharp object,  (c) obesity,  (d) anorexia nervosa,  (e) bulimia nervosa,  (f) influenza, or
	2)  (a) Legionnaires' disease,  (b) intentional self-harm,  (c) cataract,  (d) tuberculosis,  (e) measles,  (f) mumps and  (g) rubella were mentioned on the death certificate, in England and Wales, for 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	The number of deaths due to (1) (a) mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco is not the same as the number of deaths attributable to smoking. The cause of death recorded in the great majority of cases where smoking was a causal factor would be the specific disease, such as lung cancer or ischaemic heart disease, which led to death.
	Although there are codes for contact, assault and intentional self-harm by sharp object, there are no specific codes for 'knife1, so these figures are likely to exceed the actual number of deaths involving (1) (b) knives.
	Figures for (2) (b) self-harm are likely to be an underestimate, as they exclude any deaths where intent could not be ascertained. These figures do not correspond directly to the statistics published by ONS on suicides.
	
		
			  Table 1. Deaths where certain named causes were mentioned on the death certificate( 1) , England and Wales( 2) , 2003-07( 3) 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco 676 622 614 719 596 
			 Contact with sharp object 160 182 171 164 160 
			 Obesity 888 901 993 1,150 1,203 
			 Anorexia nervosa 26 19 30 35 29 
			 Bulimia nervosa 3 3 3 3 5 
			 Influenza 80 51 57 25 37 
			 Legionnaires' disease 30 38 24 37 38 
			 Intentional self-harm 3,286 3,453 3,316 3,332 3,165 
			 Cataract 19 11 15 15 9 
			 Tuberculosis 641 606 627 633 561 
			 Measles 3 5 0 2 1 
			 Mumps 4 2 1 2 1 
			 Rubella 1 0 0 0 0 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised in Table 1, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below. Deaths were included where one of these causes was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1. Causes of death codes used—International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco F17 
			 Contact with sharp object X78. X99, Y28 
			 Obesity E66 
			 Anorexia nervosa F50.0, F50.1 
			 Bulimia nervosa F50.2 
			 Influenza J10-J11 
			 Legionnaires' disease A48.1 
			 Intentional self-harm X60-X84 
			 Cataract H25-H26 
			 Tuberculosis A15-A19 
			 Measles BOS 
			 Mumps B26 
			 Rubella B06

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many members of staff  (a) employed by the Cabinet Office and  (b) seconded from other departments have responsibility for the Real Help Now website.

Liam Byrne: The Real Help Now website brings together information about the range of support available during the economic downturn and makes it easier for people and businesses to access that support.
	The development work on the website took less than two weeks and was overseen by the existing Cabinet Office website team, supported by one member of staff on part-time secondment from another government department. One member of the Cabinet Office web team has ongoing responsibility for updates to the website as part of their existing duties.

Departmental Reorganisation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what change there will be as a result of the restructuring of the Cabinet Office Communications Directorate in  (a) the number of the directorate's staff and  (b) the directorate's aggregate staff wage bill.

Tom Watson: The overall staff costs are not anticipated to increase due to changes in the grading of staff. The reorganisation will deliver substantial efficiency savings and will reduce the overall cost of the unit by approximately £500,000.
	The current funded number of staff is 41 full time equivalents, which include four staff provided by the Central Office of Information on a repayment basis. The current plans for restructuring Cabinet Office Communications will see the overall number rise to 45.5 FTE.
	The restructuring of Cabinet Office Communications is intended to better align staff resources with the Department's objectives.

Electoral Register: Northern Ireland

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many and what proportion of people were registered to vote in each local authority area in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many and what proportion of people were registered to vote in each local authority area in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years. (264186)
	Table 1 shows the number of people who were registered to vote in Local Government elections for each District in Northern Ireland for 1998 to 2007. Table 2 shows the number of people who were registered to vote as a proportion of the resident population aged 18 and over for the same years. The latest year for which estimates of the usually resident population are available by Local Authority is mid-2007.
	These proportions should not be interpreted as registration rates as not everyone who is usually resident is entitled to vote, people who have more than one address may register in more than one place and electoral registration officers vary in how quickly they remove people from the registers after they have moved away from an area or died.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of people registered to vote in local government elections in each district in Northern Ireland, 1998 to 2007 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Antrim 31,981 32,379 32,440 32,159 28,215 28,857 27.620 31,589 29,808 31,658 
			 Ards 52,492 53,097 53,569 53,272 48,875 48,561 47,388 52,373 49,231 51,167 
			 Armagh 37,735 38,019 38,135 38,065 35,685 36,257 35,672 39,187 37,184 39,179 
			 Ballymena 42,906 43,010 43,212 43,210 40,191 40,310 39,860 43,350 40,427 42,635 
			 Ballymoney 18,453 18,686 18,914 19,139 18,248 18,392 18.420 20,291 19,170 20,379 
			 Banbridge 28,646 29,149 29,511 29,652 27,899 28,279 27,947 30,731 29,207 30,690 
			 Belfast 190,972 188,921 186,440 181,224 153,870 153,063 144.567 166,483 147,246 158,425 
			 Carrickfergus 26,468 26,606 26,911 26,599 24,014 24,237 23,278 26,050 24,620 25,595 
			 Castlereagh 48,795 48,667 48,361 47,648 42,851 42,367 40.878 44,707 41,387 42,864 
			 Coleraine 38,349 38,570 38,437 38,114 35,087 34,782 34.148 37,425 34,737 36,154 
			 Cookstown 22,590 22,681 22,577 22,687 21,547 21,668 2L150 23,538 21,802 23,347 
			 Craigavon 55,120 55,494 55,737 55,560 51,670 52,104 5L500 56,707 53,950 56,586 
			 Derry 68,322 69,456 69,521 68,790 61,677 61,586 60.012 68,454 61,840 66,422 
			 Down 43,200 43,704 44,025 44,082 40,895 41,068 40,284 44,597 41,783 44,248 
			 Dungannon 33,841 34,150 34,235 34,385 32,121 32,220 31,353 35,040 32,800 34,668 
			 Fermanagh 40,823 41,198 41,275 41,360 39,067 39,482 38,387 42,739 40,169 42,258 
			 Larne 22,645 22,834 22,813 22,362 20,303 20,234 19,814 21,978 20,723 21,472 
			 Limavady 20,506 20,691 20,833 20,935 19,569 19,800 19,507 21,361 19,762 20,825 
			 Lisburn 74,043 74,298 74,327 73,505 65,617 65,177 64,816 72,914 67,699 72,180 
			 Magherafelt 27,012 27,359 27,479 27,538 26,399 26,769 26,218 28,665 27,095 28,656 
			 Moyle 10,972 11,095 11,077 11,044 10,211 10,394 10,297 11,359 10,553 11,159 
			 Newry and Mourne 59,506 60,142 60,561 60,637 55,045 55,848 54,829 61,790 57,389 61,342 
			 Newtownabbey 56,977 57,402 57,490 56,909 50,720 51,211 48,905 54,774 51,141 53,193 
			 North Down 55,446 55,492 55,263 54,873 49,484 49,276 47,734 52,994 49,282 51,501 
			 Omagh 32,356 32,629 32,713 32,441 30,767 30,697 29,232 33,322 30,744 32,934 
			 Strabane 26,241 26,599 26,716 26,526 24,622 24,615 23,855 26,575 24,542 26,154 
			  Source: Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of people registered to vote in local government elections in each district in Northern Ireland as a proportion of the resident population aged 18, 1998 to 2007( 1) 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Antrim 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 
			 Ards 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Armagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 
			 Ballymena 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Ballymoney 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Banbridge 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Belfast 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.7 0.8 
			 Carrickfergus 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Castlereagh 1,0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Coleraine 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Cookstown 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Craigavon 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Derry 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Down 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Dungannon 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Fermanagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 
			 Lame 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Limavady 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Lisburn 0.9 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Magherafelt 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Moyle 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Newry and Mourne 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 Newtownabbey 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 North Down 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.8 
			 Omagh 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.8 0.9 0.8 0.9 
			 Strabane 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 
			 (1) The proportions have been calculated using the mid-year population estimates for local authorities in Northern Ireland of those age 18 and above, and the number of people registered to vote in local government elections on 1 December.  Source: Electoral Office for Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Government Departments: Information and Communications Technology

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of new Government IT software procurements have been of  (a) open source and  (b) proprietary software (i) in total and (ii) in each department in each year since 2004; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of Government IT systems used  (a) open source and  (b) proprietary software (i) in total and (ii) in each department as at the end of each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: Details of individual software procurements across Government and of software used in individual Government IT systems are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Higher Civil Servants: Retirement

Gregory Barker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which permanent secretaries will reach standard retirement age in the next five years.

Tom Watson: Of permanent secretaries in post as at 30 September 2008, three will reach the age of 65 (the mandatory retirement age for senior Civil Servants) on or before 6 February 2014.

Ministers: Domestic Visits

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many visits have been made by Cabinet Ministers to each English region in the last 12 months.

Tom Watson: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Official Residences

Robert Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether any former Minister occupies a ministerial residence.

Tom Watson: No former Ministers occupy an official residence.

Project Scope

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the cost of Project Scope was on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Tom Watson: In respect of information requested concerning the costs associated with the SCOPE programme, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Grieve) on 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 360-1W.

Public Sector: Public Consultation

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a copy of the background data for the Delivery Index provided by IPSOS MORI to the Cabinet Office on the public's attitude to and experience of public services relating to the last four quarters.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office does not routinely receive any additional Delivery Index data from IPSOS Mori beyond that available on their website; the underlying data can be found here:
	http://ipsosmori.com/content/government-delivery-index9.ashx
	Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Unemployment: Young People

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many people aged between 16 and 24 years were unemployed in  (a) Braintree constituency,  (b) Essex and  (c) England in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what proportion of those claiming jobseeker's allowance in  (a) Braintree constituency,  (b) Essex and  (c) England were female in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated March 2009:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many people aged 16-24 were unemployed in (a) Braintree constituency (b) Essex and (c) England in each year since 1997; and what proportion of those claiming Jobseeker's allowance in (a) Braintree constituency (b) Essex and (c) England were female in each of the last 5 years. (264443, 264445)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS) and its predecessor the annual Labour Force Survey (LFS) following International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions.
	Table 1 shows the number of people aged 16-24, resident in Braintree constituency, Essex and England who were unemployed in each year since 1997. Estimates for Braintree parliamentary constituency and for Essex, for the majority of the periods requested, can be derived from APS and annual LFS at the level of geography requested. However, due to the small sample sizes at this level of detail, the estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes and have not been provided.
	Estimates for July 2007 to June 2008 have also been provided as this is the most recent for which figures are available.
	Table 2 shows the percentage of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance who were female in January of each of the last five years for the geographies requested.
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of unemployed persons aged 16-24 resident in Braintree constituency, Essex and England 
			  Thousand 
			  12 months ending:  Essex  England 
			 February 1998 — 504 
			 February 1999 — 468 
			 February 2000 — 448 
			 February 2001 — 435 
			 February 2002 — 417 
			 February 2003 14 449 
			 February 2004 — 455 
			 March 2005 — 460 
			 March 2006 — 522 
			 March 2007 — 564 
			 March 2008 — 553 
			 June 2008(1) ***14 *563 
			 '—' = Figures are disclosive or statistically unreliable. (1)( )Coefficients of Variation have been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality below.  Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5 per cent. we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220.  Key Coefficient of Variation (CV) (%) Statistical Robustness * 0 = CV<5 Estimates are considered precise ** 5 = CV <10 Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 = CV <20 Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV 20 Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes  Source: Annual Population Survey/Annual Labour Force Survey 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2 :  Pe rcentage of persons claiming job seeker's allowance who were female 
			  Percentage 
			  As at January each year  Braintree  Essex  England 
			 2004 33 29 25 
			 2005 31 29 26 
			 2006 32 29 26 
			 2007 30 29 27 
			 2008 32 30 27 
			 2009 28 28 26 
			  Source: Jobcentre Plus administrative data

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include information on  (a) counselling and  (b) possible alternatives to abortion on the National Health Service webpage entitled Abortion: know your options; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The NHS Choices web page 'Abortion: know your options' at:
	www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexualhealth/Pages/Abortionyouroptions.aspx
	does include information on counselling. It includes links to several sources of further information, including pages from the Family Planning Association's website which cover both counselling and alternatives to abortion at:
	www.fpa.org.uk/Information/Readourinformationbooklets/Pregnantanddontknowwhattodo

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the rate of admissions for alcohol-related incidents per 1,000 admissions for 18 to 21 year-olds was for  (a) university hospitals,  (b) other hospitals and  (c) all hospitals in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: Data for all hospitals on the rate of alcohol-related finished hospital admissions per 1,000 admissions in England for 18 to 21-year-olds are set out in the following table. The data are only available for the period 2002-03 to 2007-08.
	Data by university and non-university hospitals are not available.
	
		
			  Finished alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21, England 2002-03 to 2007-08 
			   Alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21  Admissions of patients aged  18 to 21  Rate of alcohol-related admissions of patients aged 18 to 21 per 1 , 000 admissions of patients  aged 18 to 21 
			 2002-03 13,207 408,782 32 
			 2003-04 15,188 422,802 36 
			 2004-05 17,243 441,861 39 
			 2005-06 19,524 470,296 42 
			 2006-07 21,758 478,128 46 
			 2007-08 23,054 494,483 47 
		
	
	The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions.

Cancer: Surgery

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which NHS trusts performed  (a) between one and nine,  (b) between 10 and 39 and  (c) over 40 cancer-related (i) prostatectomies and (ii) cystectomies in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. A table which shows the count of finished consultant episodes for cancer-related prostatectomy, cystectomy and cystoprostatectomy in 2007-08 by trust has been placed in the Library.

Children: Health Services

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make it his policy to provide timely, high quality and effective care in the home for children with long-term complex health needs; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to provide packages which co-ordinate health, social care and education to meet the needs of children with long-term complex health needs and their families; and if he will make it his policy to improve co-ordination between hospital and community services;
	(3)  if he will increase the funding his Department provides for community children's nurses to work specifically with children with long-term complex health needs; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Both the Child Health Strategy, 'Healthy Lives, Brighter Future', published recently a copy of which has been placed in the Library, and the 'National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services', published in 2004, have reiterated our policy of providing coordinated support, as close to home as possible, for children with complex health needs and their families. A copy of the framework has already been placed in the Library. The Children's Continuing Care Framework, which we hope to launch at the end of May, will provide local partners with the tools to provide tailor made packages of care, involving health, social care and education components. We are taking forward a discrete project looking at the benefits and opportunities arising from investment in community children's nursing services.

Dentistry: Registration

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with the General Dental Council on the annual registration fee for dental care professionals in the last 12 months;
	(2)  what evidence his Department evaluated prior to its endorsement of the General Dental Council's annual fee registration requirement.

Ann Keen: The General Dental Council is responsible for setting its fees and the Department has no role in the approval or endorsement of these fees.
	There have been no meetings about registration fees for dental care professionals in the past 12 months between the Department's Ministers and the General Dental Council.

Dentistry: Training

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the efficacy of the requirement on (i) dentists and (ii) other dental care professionals to undertake continuing professional development; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The General Dental Council (GDC) has introduced a requirement for dentists and dental care professionals to undertake regular continuing professional development (CPD) to maintain their registration. We have not commissioned research in respect of CPD, but we expect the GDC's requirement to develop into a revalidation scheme where by health professionals would be required to keep up to date with advances in medical and dental science. The White Paper Trust Assurance and Safety—The Regulation of Health Professionals in the 21st Century stated:
	"In the traditional system for regulating health professionals, once people had qualified and demonstrated that they were fit to practise with patients, their names were placed on the relevant professional register and remained there unless a definite reason came to light for their removal. Public and professional opinion has moved on in the course of this debate, from a position where trust alone was sufficient guarantee of fitness to practise, to one where that trust needs to be underpinned by objective assurance. Public opinion surveys suggest that people expect health professionals to participate in the revalidation of their registration and that many believe this takes place every year."

Departmental Publications

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last five years have been funded in whole or in part by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies.

Ben Bradshaw: To identify the number of articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last five years that have been funded in whole or in part by the Department and its agencies would incur a disproportionate cost.

Departmental Publications

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies have spent on articles appearing in healthcare publications in the last five years.

Ben Bradshaw: To identify the amount of expenditure by the Department and its agencies on articles appearing in healthcare publications and journals in the last five years would incur a disproportionate cost.

Food: Contamination

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many contaminated food incidents have been reported in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of reported food-borne outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease in England and Wales (1997 to 2007) is provided in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of food-borne outbreaks( 1) 
			 1997 256 
			 1998 152 
			 1999 130 
			 2000 133 
			 2001 109 
			 2002 92 
			 2003 87 
			 2004 74 
			 2005 89 
			 2006 86 
			 2007 49 
			 Total 1,257 
			 (1 )Data include food-borne outbreaks caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli 0157, Clostridium perfringens, Staphylococcus aureus, Cryptosporidum, Bacillus spp., Giardia lamblia, norovirus, astrovirus and scrombrotoxin. Data include all settings, including all restaurant premises, hotels, shops, residential, schools, hospitals and private establishments.  Source: Health Protection Agency (Centre for Infections).

Human Papilloma Virus

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will commission research into the effectiveness of implementing human papilloma virus testing as a follow-up test for women with borderline and abnormal smear test results and following treatment for cervical abnormalities; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will increase  (a) the amount of funding available for the human papilloma virus sentinel sites implementation project and  (b) the number of areas in which triage testing will be made available.

Ann Keen: Work on the implementation phase of human papilloma virus (HPV) triage for women with borderline and low-grade abnormalities using HPV testing has begun in six sentinel sites. Decisions on expenditure, further roll-out and evaluation will be made once the results from these sites are known at the end of December 2009.

Influenza: Vaccination

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of people over 60 years who received a vaccination against influenza in 2007-08.

Dawn Primarolo: Uptake of the influenza vaccine is collected for those aged 65 and over and those aged under 65 in a clinical at risk group. The Department is unable to provide a figure for the proportion of people aged over 60 years who received the vaccine.
	In 2007-08, 73.5 per cent. of people aged 65 and over received the influenza vaccine.
	These figures only cover those who received the vaccine as part of the national health service influenza programme. It does not cover those who receive the vaccine privately.

Khat

Mohammad Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has  (a) evaluated,  (b) commissioned and  (c) undertaken on the effects on health of the regular use of khat.

Dawn Primarolo: In March 2005 the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) was asked by the then Home Office Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) to assess the extent of the harm posed by khat use in the United Kingdom, to the individual, their communities and to society as a whole.
	The ACMD reported in January 2006 and continues to monitor the situation in relation to khat through its Technical Committee.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the findings of the report of the Healthcare Commission on the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: I refer the hon. Member to the oral statement given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health on 18 March 2008,  Official Report, columns 909-11.

Multiple Sclerosis: Research

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on research into multiple sclerosis in each of the last 10 years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Expenditure on multiple sclerosis research 
			  £ million 
			   Department of Health  Medical Research Council 
			 1998-99 0.6 n/a 
			 1999-2000 0.5 n/a 
			 2000-01 0.5 1.5 
			 2001-02 0.6 2.1 
			 2002-03 0.1 1.8 
			 2003-04 0.1 1.1 
			 2004-05 0.1 1.4 
			 2005-06 0.8 1.9 
			 2006-07 0.01 3.1 
			 2007-08 0.8 3.6 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	The departmental figures relate to national research programme and, from 2007-08, National Institute for Health Research expenditure. They do not include expenditure in the areas of human health concerned from the research and development allocations made annually over the last 10 years to national health service providers. That information is not held centrally.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support biomedical research. The MRC is an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

NHS: Finance

Eric Illsley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish the National Programme Budgeting Data for 2007-08.

Ben Bradshaw: The 2007-08 programme budgeting data are being checked prior to their publication shortly on the Department's website.

NHS: Finance

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to ensure that trusts which are receiving funding at a level  (a) 1 to 5 per cent. and  (b) more than 5 per cent. (i) above and (ii) below target funding are (A) appropriately supported and (B) where underfunded, compensated for being underfunded;
	(2)  at what rate trusts which have NHS funding  (a) 1 to 5 per cent. and  (b) over 5 per cent. (i) above and (ii) below target funding will be brought towards target funding over the next five financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Primary care trusts' (PCTs) target revenue allocations are made on the basis of a fair funding formula, recommended by the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation, that directs funding towards areas of greatest need.
	We are committed to moving all PCTs towards their target allocations as quickly as possible, but this must be balanced with the need to ensure that all PCTs are appropriately supported with stable funding that both supports existing commitments and allows long-term planning, as well as recognising the unavoidable cost pressures that all PCTs face.
	The allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11 achieve this by ensuring that:
	average PCT growth is 5.5 per cent. each year;
	minimum growth is 5.2 per cent. in 2009-10 and 5.1 per cent. in 2010-11;
	no PCT will be more than 6.2 per cent. under target by the end of 2010-11; and
	no PCT will move further under target as a result of above average population growth in 2010-11.
	Further, we have ensured that the most under-target PCTs will benefit from the highest increases in funding. At the start of 2009-10, the most under-target PCT will be 10.6 per cent. below its target allocation. Over the next two years, that PCTs' allocation will grow by more than 17 per cent. and it will end 2010-11 only 6.2 per cent. below target. This is a significant achievement by historic standards: in 2003-04, the most under-target PCT was 22 per cent. below target.
	The rate at which PCTs will move towards their target allocation in future years will need to be considered in light of a number of factors including population changes, cost pressures and the resources available to the national health service.
	Compensation for PCTs that have received under-target allocations in the past would be difficult to determine as targets vary over time. It would effectively mean re-opening those allocation rounds, which would undermine stability of NHS funding and so long-term planning. Further, it could be funded only by reducing resources for other PCTs, which may result in painful cuts to services.

Smoking: Yorkshire and the Humber

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost to the NHS of treating smoking-related diseases in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available centrally.

Smoking: Yorkshire and the Humber

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in  (a) Barnsley and  (b) Doncaster have received assistance from the NHS to stop smoking in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information is not available in the format requested. However, data on the number of people setting a quit date and successfully quitting through the National Health Service Stop Smoking Services are available for Barnsley primary care trust (PCT) and Doncaster PCT in 2006-07 and 2007-08 and for Barnsley PCT, Doncaster Central PCT, Doncaster East PCT and Doncaster West PCT for 2004-05 to 2006-07.
	Information for 2007-08 is available from the annual Statistics on "NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2007 to March 2008". This information can be found in table 3.5 on page 28.
	Information for 2006-07 is available for both the old and new strategic health authority (SHA) and PCT from the annual Statistics on "NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2006 to March 2007". This information can be found in table 2.12 (old SHA and PCT configuration) and table 5.4 (new SHA and PCT configuration) on pages 19 and 65 respectively.
	Information for 2005-06 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual Statistics on "NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2005 to March 2006". This information can be found in table 4.12 on page 38.
	Information for 2004-05 is available for both the old SHA and PCTs from the annual "Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services in England, April 2004 to March 2005". This information can be found in table 19 on page 54.
	All of the publications have already been placed in the Library.
	 Notes
	1. The Information Centre for health and social care collects data from the NHS Stop Smoking Services as part of the NHS Stop Smoking Services quarterly monitoring returns forms, undertaken since 2005 on behalf of the Department.
	2. On the basis that the clinical viewpoint tends to be that a client should not be counted as a 'failure' if he/she has smoked in the difficult first days after the quit date, a client is counted as having successfully quit smoking if he/she has not smoked at all since two weeks after the quit date. The four-week follow-up (and Carbon Monoxide (CO) validation, if appropriate) must be completed within six weeks of the quit date. Persons not contacted within this time are treated as lost to follow-up for evaluation purposes.
	3. Only people who set a quit date through the NHS Stop Smoking Services are included in the quarterly monitoring returns, those who attend the service but do not set a quit date are not included.

Strokes: Health Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made towards ensuring that patients with suspected trans ischaemic attacks are scanned with magnetic resonance imaging within 24 hours as referred to in the National Stroke Strategy.

Ann Keen: High quality imaging of the brain and blood vessels is a key part of a successful stroke service and the Department issued 'Implementing the National Stroke Strategy—an imaging guide' in May 2008 to support local improvement. A copy has been placed in the Library. The 2008 National Sentinel Stroke Audit notes that providing access to magnetic resonance imaging within 24 hours to high risk patients will require a major reorganisation of imaging facilities. The Stroke Improvement Programme (part of NHS Improvement) has been established to support providers and commissioners in implementing the necessary changes to achieve these standards.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister signed the Final Declaration of the London conference on combating anti-Semitism; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary signed the London Declaration on combating anti-Semitism in their capacity as parliamentarians.
	The London Declaration was signed by 125 parliamentarians from 40 countries.
	The Government are committed to combating anti-Semitism wherever and whenever it occurs.

Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 41W, on anti-Semitism, what steps the Government plans to take to monitor and tackle anti-Semitism overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The recent London Conference on combating anti-Semitism, organised by the Inter-parliamentary Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism and co-hosted by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, called for the establishment of an international task-force of internet specialists to measure racism and anti-Semitism online and propose international responses.
	It also called for the exposure and isolation of governments and politicians engaging in hate against Jews, and urged the EU to address the issue of combating anti-Semitism.
	We will work with the Inter-parliamentary Coalition and other partners on follow-up to the London Conference.

Brasilia

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits were made by Ministers to Brasilia in the financial year 2007-08.

Gillian Merron: Our records indicate that in the period running from the 1 April 2007 to the 31 March 2008, there were four visits by Government Ministers to Brasilia. These were the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Secretary of State for Transport, the Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and the Secretary of State for Health.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the renewal of the contracts of  (a) temporary and  (b) agency staff.

Gillian Merron: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)'s policy on the renewal of temporary contracts follows the Civil Service Commissioners Recruitment Code. Information can be found on their website:
	http://www.civilservicecommissioners.org/Reference_Documents/Recruitment_Code_Reference/
	The use and renewal of temporary agency staff is devolved to FCO directorates. They use agency staff when there is a pressing short-term operational need and there are no permanent members of staff available. There is central internal guidance available to directorates on using temporary agency staff.

Exercise

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what methodology his Department uses to assess progress towards the target of getting two million people more active by 2012; on which date such assessment began; to which age groups the target is applied; on what basis a person may be classified as more active; and whether the target is applied to people with  (a) mental health problems,  (b) physical disabilities and  (c) learning disabilities.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government's 2012 legacy action plan, published in June 2008, sets a cross-Government target to get two million more adults active through sport and physical activity by 2012. The Department of Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) and Sport England lead on getting one million people doing more sport. A range of Government Departments will deliver programmes that will increase wider physical activity. These programmes are outlined in the Department of Health's new Physical Activity Plan "Be Active, Be Healthy" published on 11 February 2009. A copy has been placed in the Library.
	Sport England's Active People survey will be the measure for the two million target. The baseline for the target will be established using the 2007-08 Active People survey, the results of which were published on 11 December 2008. The target is based on those adults aged 16 and over achieving three sessions of at least 30 minutes of at least moderate intensity activity per week. The target will also be informed by additional data collected on dance, active conservation and gardening from January 2009. A newly established Physical Activity Programme Board, chaired jointly by the Department and DCMS, will oversee the delivery of programmes against the Legacy Action Plan (LAP) target.
	The LAP target applies to all adults aged over 16 and "Be Active, Be Healthy" recognises that people with disabilities, ranging from physical and neurological to sensory impairments and learning disabilities are at particular risk from inactivity.

Kenya: Elections

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Kenya on the role of the International Criminal Court in investigations of post-election violence in Kenya.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 March 2009
	The Government have made clear, both privately and publicly through the media, their support for the recommendations made by the independent Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence. The creation of a Special Tribunal to prosecute those responsible for the violence will be an important step in efforts to end impunity and foster healing and reconciliation in Kenya.
	Our support for a local independent tribunal is in line with the views of Kofi Annan, the Inquiry's recommendations and the Kenyan government's adoption of the recommendations. Such a tribunal, with an international prosecutor and judges and strong witness protection systems, could help rebuild confidence in Kenya's judiciary and would be a good route to justice for the victims of that violence, and to stopping it from re-occurring. The International Criminal Court in The Hague is another route for seeking justice and would be an alternative option if the creation of a local tribunal failed. But a local solution would be of greater benefit to Kenya in the long term.
	Our high commissioner to Kenya has discussed this subject with Kenyan ministers, including the President and Prime Minister, and with MPs and civil society groups.

Redundancy

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the Answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1208-10W, on redundancy, how many staff left his Department under staff exit schemes with a severance package worth  (a) between £100,000 and £125,000,  (b) between £125,001 and £150,000,  (c) between £150,001 and £200,000,  (d) between £200,001 and £250,000,  (e) between £250,001 and £500,000,  (f) between £500,001 and £1,000,000 and  (g) over £1,000,000 in each year since 2005-06.

Gillian Merron: My answer of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 1208-10W, provided a breakdown of total lifetime costs to the Department of early retirements between April 2005 and March 2009. The figures do not represent the value of sums received by staff, which will be lower.
	The number of early retirement settlements over the past four years broken down into the categories listed above according to lifetime cost to the Department is:
	 (a) 30
	 (b) 23
	 (c) 46
	 (d) 29
	 (e) 63
	 (f) 2
	 (g) 0

Torture

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will establish a judicial inquiry into allegations of UK complicity in torture overseas and extraordinary rendition.

David Miliband: holding answer 17 March 2009
	I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's statement of 18 March 2009,  Official Report, column 55WS, in which he addressed these allegations and outlined the steps being taken in response to them.

UN World Conference against Racism

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received of the decision of the Italian government to withdraw from the United Nations Durban 2 conference; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini announced on 5 March 2009 that Italy would not participate in negotiations on the draft outcome document for the Durban Review Conference.
	Italy would, however, continue to follow the process and reconsider its position if EU red lines were respected.
	The Government have on several occasions expressed its view on the Durban Review Conference, the follow-up to the 2001 World Conference Against Racism. We want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all countries in the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.

UN World Conference against Racism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the withdrawal of governments from the United Nations Durban 2 Conference; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Canada and Israel have formally withdrawn from the Durban Review Conference. The United States and Italy announced that they would not take part in negotiations on the draft document that was under negotiation, and set conditions for their re-engagement.
	This document has now been superseded by an updated version, which was issued on 17 March 2009.
	The Government have expressed a consistent view on the Durban Review Conference. We want the conference to forge a collective will to fight against racism in all its forms, in all parts of the world. It should not be seen as an opportunity to press unrelated political interests and issues.

Zimbabwe: Sequestration of Assets

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the merits of seizing overseas assets of the Zimbabwean Government in order to pay the pensions of former employees of the Southern Rhodesian Government and other Zimbabwean pensioners.

Gillian Merron: The Government do not consider seizure of the overseas assets of the Government of Zimbabwe an appropriate means of obtaining funds for the payment of pensions of former employees of the Southern Rhodesian Government and other Zimbabwean pensioners. We continue to make representation to the Government of Zimbabwe reminding them of their legal obligations to meet pension liabilities.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Children: Social Services

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the projected expenditure on the integrated children's system is in each of the next five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The planned expenditure on the Integrated Children's System (ICS) for 2009-10 is £8.7 million. This consists of £5 million for capital grants to local authorities and £3.7 million to cover project costs. ICS investment beyond 2009-10 will be subject to the outcomes of the 2009 Spending Review. Our plans will be informed by the conclusions of the feasibility study of ICS recommended by Lord Laming in his report earlier this month on progress on the protection of children in England.

Children's Centres

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many new Sure Start children's centres are planned by local authorities to be completed between January 2009 and March 2010.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Local authorities are responsible for planning and delivering their Sure Start Children's Centre programmes so that by March 2010 there will be at least 3,500 centres offering access to services for all children under five and their families. The Department's delivery partner, Together for Children, is working with authorities to support them in finalising and delivering their plans for the final phase of the roll-out of centres. The exact number of centres to be delivered between January 2009 and March 2010 is therefore subject to change as local authorities confirm their plans. At 23 February 2009 there were 2,925 designated Sure Start Children's Centres. Local authorities are on track to meet the target for 3,500 centres by March 2010.

Grammar Schools: Kent

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils from each neighbouring council to Kent have been offered grammar school places in Kent in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: As these arrangements are determined and administered locally, we do not hold data centrally on the number of pupils offered such places.

Parents: Advisory Services

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how the effectiveness of the Parent Know How programme is measured; and what assessment has been made of that effectiveness;
	(2)  how many people have used the Parent Know How programme websites in each quarter since they were established;
	(3)  how many people have used the Parent Know How  (a) instant messaging and  (b) SMS service in each quarter since each was established;
	(4)  how many calls there have been to each Parent Know How helpline in each quarter since their establishment.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: An independent evaluation of the Parent Know How programme was commissioned last year to look at the effectiveness of the telephone helpline and the pilot new services under the programme. The evaluation will support decisions we make about which of the pilot services we will continue to fund beyond June 2009. A full report will be published in the late spring.
	The information requested about how many people have used the Parent Know How website, instant messaging and SMS services, and how many calls there have been to each helpline, in each quarter since the launch of the programme last year are as follows. Information about the quarter January-March 2009 will not be available until late April:
	
		
			  (i) Websites: 
			  Quarter  April-June 2008  July-September 2008  October-December 2008  Total 
			 Services: Got a teenager, thecoupleconnection, Contact a Family, Dad Talk, Dad's Space, Dad's Team, One Space, Netmums, Parent Supporters 26,417 80,215 187,146 293,778 
		
	
	
		
			  ( ii) I nstant messaging and SMS services: 
			  Quarter  April-June 2008  July-September 2008  October-December 2008  Total 
			 Instant messaging services(1): Live Talk 0 209 289 498 
			 SMS services: Ask ACE Relate SMS 434 489 724 1,647 
			 1 Service launched in July 2009 
		
	
	
		
			  (iii) Telephone helplines 
			  Calls made to telephone helplines  April-June 2008  July- September 2008  October- December 2008  Total 
			 Advisory Centre for Education 33,395 10,669 14,783 58,847 
			 Children's Legal Centre 4,978 6,752 7,070 18,800 
			 Contact a Family 4,361 6,598 4,575 15,534 
			 Family Rights Group 6,498 5,560 4,211 16,269 
			 Gingerbread 2,544 2,923 2,434 7,901 
			 ParentlinePlus 47,033 40,140 39,266 126,439 
			 YoungMinds 2,501 1,985 2,437 6,923 
			 Total 101,310 74,627 74,776 250,713

Primary Education: Sanitation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what plans he has to issue guidance to primary schools on the design of school toilets;
	(2)  what guidance his Department offers primary schools who wish to redesign and rebuild their school toilets and drinking water facilities.

Jim Knight: In answer to the first question, the Department offers guidance on the design of toilets in primary schools in the following publications:
	The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999, SI No. 2 1999, state the numbers of toilets that should be provided in schools.
	Building Bulletin 99 Briefing Framework for Primary School Projects outlines key issues on toilet design.
	Primary Ideas, Projects to Enhance Primary School Environments includes a number of 'design principles' for toilet design.
	Building Bulletin 102: Designing for Disabled Children and Children with Special Educational Needs includes guidance on accessible toilets for mainstream and special schools.
	Standard Specifications, Layouts and Dimensions SSLD 3: Toilets in Schools sets out standards of performance for toilet facilities and shows how they might be delivered through design examples. The standards were developed for secondary schools and aspects of the guidance apply equally to primary schools.
	In answer to the second question, the Department has no plans to issue further guidance on this subject.
	The Department offers the following guidance on drinking water provision:
	The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1999 (S11999 No 2), require that 'A school shall have a wholesome supply of water for domestic purposes including a supply of drinking water' (Part iv, Regulation 22).
	The joint DFES/Department of Health's publication National Healthy Schools Status—a Guide for Schools 2005, recommends easy access to free clear palatable drinking water (Section 2, part 2, Healthy eating).
	The Department's Building Bulletin No 87: Guidelines for Environmental Design in Schools has a section on hot and cold water supplies.

Pupils: Diabetes

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the provision of healthcare for children with diabetes in  (a) primary schools and  (b) secondary schools;
	(2)  what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of provision of care for children with diabetes  (a) in schools and  (b) on school trips;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of children of school age whose diabetic conditions  (a) prevent and  (b) reduce their attendance at school;
	(4)  what guidance his Department provides to schools on in school healthcare for children with diabetes;
	(5)  what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Health on healthcare for children with diabetes when in school;
	(6)  what estimate he has made of the number of children with diabetes who were unable to participate in school trips owing to a lack of healthcare provision during such trips in the last 12 months.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is for schools and local authorities to support children with medical conditions at schools. The Department has issued guidance to schools to help them support their pupils. Our guidance to schools, "Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings", issued jointly with the Department of Health in 2005, specifically addresses what schools can do to support pupils with medical needs such as diabetes. It encourages schools and local authorities to develop policies on the management of pupil's medicines and on supporting pupils with medical needs, taking account of local resources and their various responsibilities. We produced sister guidance in the same year, entitled "Including me: managing complex health needs in schools and early years settings".
	We are taking a number of steps to ensure that pupils with long term medical conditions have access to the help they need to enable them to attend school and participate in school activities.
	In April 2007, the Department of Health published a report entitled "Making Every Young Person with Diabetes Matter", and has convened a group to support the implementation of best practice as set out in the report. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is represented on that group, and also on the sub-group set up to look specifically at support in schools.
	Since September 2007 schools have a duty to promote the well-being of all pupils, including those with long term medical conditions. This duty defines well-being as the five outcomes of Every Child Matters, including being healthy and staying safe.
	Most recently, the "Child Health Strategy, Better Health: Brighter Futures", published on 12 February this year, announced that we will be revising the guidance to schools on managing medicines which will include clear statements of expectations of those involved in supporting pupils with medical conditions, such as schools and PCTs. Our intention is that this work will be done in consultation with expert organisations, such as Diabetes UK, and will be supported with an awareness raising campaign.

Teachers: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teaching staff from Enfield local education authority area have attended the National College of School Leadership.

Jim Knight: The National College for School Leadership began recording such data centrally in 2003. Since then 547 members of school staff from the Enfield local authority have engaged with the college. 122 of these did not provide information about the nature of their role within their school and although we cannot be certain that they have a teaching role, it is likely that most of them do.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Roads

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the Government's  (a) current and  (b) anticipated contribution to road building and maintenance in Afghanistan is by (i) cost and (ii) manpower in each of the next three years; and whether UK armed forces will be involved on this work.

Douglas Alexander: On 3 March, I announced a £50 million increase in funding to Afghanistan, including £32 million for infrastructure projects in Helmand.
	The UK currently supports the construction and maintenance of roads through the infrastructure component of the Afghan Government's Helmand Agricultural and Rural Development Programme (HARDP). The Department for International Development (DFID) contributes £30 million to support HARDP (2006-07 to 2008-09).
	These programmes are delivered by the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development in close co-ordination with the International Security Assistance Forces (which include UK forces) and Afghan military forces.
	The design phase for DFID's continued support to rural development in Helmand is under way, including an impact assessment of infrastructure projects completed under HARDP. Until this assessment is completed we cannot predict what shape future support to the infrastructure sector will take.
	DFID has four staff involved with the infrastructure elements of HARDP programming.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the effects of the security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on the delivery of humanitarian assistance in the DRC.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 11 March 2009
	The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) remains in the grip of a severe and prolonged humanitarian crisis, with 1.2 million people displaced by conflict in the east of the country, millions remaining food insecure and vulnerable to disease and natural disasters. However, the overall security situation in eastern DRC has improved over recent months. The end of hostilities and the integration into the national army of the CNDP militia (predominantly Rwandan militia group) since January has reduced barriers to humanitarian access in large areas of North Kivu, in turn allowing aid to reach those most in need. The longer-term humanitarian impact of joint DRC and Rwandan army operations against another militia group, the FDLR (former Rwandan Hutu forces) remains uncertain and the humanitarian community remains prepared to deal with any consequences that arise.
	In the north of DRC, in Province Orientale, an ongoing joint DRC/Ugandan military operation which started in December against the Ugandan Lords Resistance Army (LRA) rebels has provoked widespread reprisals against the population by the LRA. This has generated humanitarian and protection needs for the population. MONUC have increased their military presence in the area in order to mitigate the humanitarian impact.

Departmental Bank Services

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with which banks his Department has or has had contracts for the provision of financial advice, for the financial year 2008-09.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not held contracts for the provision of financial advice with any banks for the financial year 2008-09.

Departmental Conditions of Employment

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidance on remuneration and terms of employment for locally-engaged staff; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: A copy of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) local Pay Determination Guidance, together with a copy of the Minimum Employment Standards for locally engaged staff (known as Staff Appointed in Country), will be placed in the Library.
	Both documents are currently under review following a recent agreement between DFID and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to bring the pay scales and other terms and conditions of service of our respective locally engaged staff into greater alignment.

Departmental Consultants

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions people his Department had formerly directly employed were retained by the Department on a consultancy basis in the last financial year for which figures are available; and how much was paid to such people in that year.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not retain a central record of contracts awarded to former DFID employees on a consultancy basis. To provide this information would incur disproportionate cost. DFID has strict rules and guidance on the engagement of former DFID employees as consultants.

Departmental Databases

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what categories of information are included on his Department's inSight system; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's (DFID) intranet, known as InSight, contains a wide range of information for staff. Information is grouped under the following categories:
	About DFID;
	Policy and strategy;
	Peoplesight (HR policies, processes and systems);
	Learningsight (staff learning and development);
	Rules and guidance;
	Travel; Office facilities;
	Information Resources.

Departmental ICT

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other costs of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs were of the temporary tester for information systems in his Department which his Department funded through Allegis Group Ltd. under procurement reference 200708220.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide a temporary tester from the 13 to 30 November 2007.
	DFID cannot comment on the salary costs as the temporary tester was not an employee. The value of the contract was £4,690, inclusive of management service fees. There were no other costs of employment payable under this contract.
	The Terms of Reference for this engagement included drafting test scripts, conducting testing and report writing for a number of projects and desktop packages.
	The temporary tester produced a range of outputs which included, test scripts, documentation of test results and test reports.

Departmental ICT

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other costs of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs of the ARIES systems accountant retained by his Department via IT Works Recruitment were.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted IT Works Recruitment to provide a Systems Accountant from 6 August 2007 to 31 March 2008.
	DFID cannot comment on the salary costs as the Systems Accountant was not an employee. The initial contract value was £91,450. However, the contract was reviewed after three months and it was agreed that the remainder of the work would be undertaken in-house. The actual date of the appointment was 20 August to 30 November. The total cost over this period was £25,250 plus £4,927 expenses.
	The Terms of Reference for the appointment included developing coexistence procedures and error handling mechanisms between legacy systems and the new ARIES system. The Systems Accountant documented coexistence procedures, reconciliation procedures, error reporting and took investigative/corrective action to resolve data quality issues.

Departmental Internet

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer to the hon. Member for Welwyn, Hatfield of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1879W, on the departmental internet, how many hits each of the websites maintained by his Department received in each of the last 12 months.

Michael Foster: The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Research for  d evelopment (R4D) (http://www.research4development.info) 
			  Month  Page views  Unique visitors 
			 February 2009 41,639 26,608 
			 January 2009 39,772 24,635 
			
			 December 2008 32,646 19,895 
			 November 2008 39,504 26,765 
			 October 2008 34,251 20,586 
			 September 2008 35,525 21,831 
			 August 2008 36,429 20,576 
			 July 2008 42,994 27,453 
			 June 2008 34,934 20,483 
			 May 2008 29,323 15,670 
			 April 2008 28,008 16,315 
			 March 2008 26,648 15,823 
		
	
	
		
			  Developments (http://www.developments.org.uk) 
			  Month  Page views  Unique visitors 
			 February 2009 23,841 10,546 
			 January 2009 23,393 10,225 
			
			 December 2008 17,014 7,429 
			 November 2008 25,358 10,405 
			 October 2008 31,224 11,410 
			 September 2008 21,447 8,256 
			 August 2008 19,678 6,684 
			 July 2008 27,959 7,483 
			 June 2008 18,535 7,387 
			 May 2008 21,301 8,483 
			 April 2008 28,687 9,646 
			 March 2008 34,814 4,771

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 17W, on departmental personnel, whether his Department's director of human resources is an employee of his Department; and what the  (a) salary and  (b) other employment costs of the director of human resources are.

Ivan Lewis: The current Human Resources Director is a full-time employee of the Department for International Development (DFID). He receives a salary within the range prescribed by the Cabinet Office (£81,600 pa to £160,000 pa) for staff filling posts at director level.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 17W, on departmental personnel, for what reason his Department hired an interim human resources manager from 7 April to 31 October 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The appointment of an Interim HR Manager, using a professional agency, meant that the appointment could be made at very short notice. It provided professional leadership during a period of restructuring, and also allowed the Department time to make a permanent appointment through a high quality search and selection process.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 17W, on departmental personnel, what the career background and experience of the interim human resources manager hired from 7 April to 31 October 2008 was; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The interim human resources (HR) manager had extensive professional experience in a range of senior positions in private sector organisations, including financial services, retail and pharmaceutical companies.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) location of employment,  (b) dates of employment,  (c) total days worked,  (d) salary and  (e) other costs of employment were for the commercial development and growth specialist employed by his Department via the Enterprise Partnership Ltd. in 2007.

Michael Foster: The Commercial Development and Growth Specialist (CDGS) was not an employee of DFID. A contract for this work was awarded to Enterprise Partnership Ltd. for the period 1 May 2007 to 31 October 2008. The CDGS worked 156 days in 2007 at a cost of £65,470, which includes fees and reimbursable expenses.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other costs of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs of the Economic Adviser to the EC Delegation in Kigali, Rwanda funded by his Department in August 2007 were.

Ivan Lewis: The Economic Adviser to the EC was a consultant funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) and located in the EC Delegation Rwanda.
	 (a) The dates of the contract were July 2007 to December 2008.
	 (b) The total fees for the full 17-month contract were £103,563.
	 (c) Other total costs for the contract period were £23,139.
	 (d) The job description was to contribute to the effective implementation of EC budgetary support and related economic programmes and to the sustainable creation of capacity to manage these programmes in future.
	 (e) The work outputs related to budget support management, policy dialogue, economic management, and aid harmonisation.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other costs of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs of the project manager—DFID laptop refresh funded by his Department in August 2007 were.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide a project manager for the Laptop Refresh project from 6 August 2007 to the 31 March 2008.
	DFID cannot comment on salary costs as the project manager was not an employee. The value of the contract was £72,000 plus £5,000 expenses.
	The Terms of Reference for this engagement included management of the project to replace DFID's existing laptops.
	The project manager produced standard project management documentation which included project brief, project initiation document, project plan and regular progress reports. Other outputs included a fully tested laptop that represented value for money.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other costs of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs of the Business Analyst 2007 funded by his Department via Allegis Group Ltd. in August 2007 were.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) contracted Allegis to provide an interim Business Analyst from 13 August 2007 to 30 September 2008.
	DFID cannot comment on salary costs as the Business Analyst was not an employee. The initial contract value was £46,750. A further extension took the total value to £105,226 inclusive of management service fees. There were no other costs of employment payable under this contract.
	The Terms of Reference for this engagement included business analysis, benefits realisation, information needs analysis, business process definition, requirements capture and promotion of industry best practice.
	The Business Analyst produced a range of outputs which included Requirements documentation, Use Case and Workflow Diagrams, Test Scripts and associated project management documentation.

Departmental Manpower

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) dates of employment,  (b) salary,  (c) other cost of employment,  (d) job description and  (e) work outputs of Alexander Bohr were for the duration of the funding by the Department of his work on information on EU development assistance in Nicaragua.

Michael Foster: Mr. Bohr was contracted by the Department for International Development (DFID) for the period 15 September 2007 to 2 May 2008 to carry out work on the project titled "Information on EU Development Assistance". The total cost of this contract was £46,229. The key objectives were to produce an EU Blue Book, accompanying CD Rom and an interactive, online tool to collect data on EU development assistance.

Departmental Manpower

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) permanent,  (b) agency and  (c) temporary staff on contracts of (i) up to three months, (ii) between three and six months, (iii) between six and 12 months and (iv) 12 months or more there are in each directorate of his Department.

Ivan Lewis: Details of staff employment at the Department for International Development are published in the Department's Annual Report which is available in the Library of the House and online:
	www.dfid.gov.uk

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) location of,  (b) dates of,  (c) purpose of,  (d) number of visitors to and  (e) total cost of his Department's Health and Education Advisers retreat funded via HLSP Ltd in February 2007 was.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development's (DFID) 2007 Health and Education Advisers retreat was:
	 (a) held at the Robinson Executive Centre, Wyboston Lakes, Wyboston, Bedfordshire;
	 (b) it took place from 6 to 9 February 2007;
	 (c) the retreat brought together DFID health and education advisers, and development academics, for professional development and to agree forward policy and operational priorities in health, education and HIV/AIDS, including in relation to DFID's 2006 White Paper "Eliminating world poverty: making governance work for the poor";
	 (d) there were approximately 85 attendees and 17 speakers and guests;
	 (e) and the total costs that were funded via HLSP were £57,700

Departmental Pay

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 17W, on departmental personnel, how many of his Department's staff received remuneration, including bonuses, of more than £100,000 in 2007-08.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development paid nine members of staff more than £100,000 (including non-consolidated performance pay) in 2007-08.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on  (a) economy class flights,  (b) business class flights,  (c) first class flights,  (d) accommodation and  (e) other expenses for (i) Ministers and (ii) officials to attend the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008.

Michael Foster: The cost of one Minister and 10 officials attending the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in September 2008 was £50,072. This comprises:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Business class flights 44,484 
			 Accommodation 3,035 
			 Other expenses 2,553

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on  (a) leasing,  (b) procurement,  (c) maintenance and  (d) running costs of its cars in Uganda in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: In 2007-08, the Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure on its official vehicle fleet in Uganda was as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Leasing Nil 
			 Procurement 19,692 
			 Maintenance and running costs 14,641

Departmental Public Expenditure

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) salary costs and  (b) other employment costs of drivers engaged by his Department in Uganda were in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Ivan Lewis: In 2007-08, the Department for International Development's (DFID) expenditure in Uganda for drivers was as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Salary costs (including overtime) 26,000 
			 Other employment costs 6,000

Departmental Recruitment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1879W, on departmental recruitment, what estimate he has made of the annual salary cost of  (a) permanent,  (b) temporary and  (c) agency staff recruited by his Department in each year since 2005-06.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not maintain central records of estimates made in respect of salary costs for newly recruited staff.
	Each director within DFID has delegated authority to manage their staff resources, together with any associated pay and related costs.
	Prior to the recruitment of any new member of staff (permanent, temporary or agency), the director is required to make an assessment of the cost of the appointment and to confirm they have sufficient funds available within their divisional budget.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his Department's policy is on the renewal of the contracts of  (a) temporary and  (b) agency staff.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development's policy on the renewal of temporary (fixed term) or agency contracts is that neither may be renewed without clear justification. All contract renewals must be authorised at senior management level and approved by Human Resources Division.

GlobeScan Incorporated

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the nature was of the services provided to his Department by GlobeScan Incorporated in respect of consultations on its research strategy for 2008 to 2013 procured under reference 200707940; if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) his Department's contract with GlobeScan Incorporated,  (b) the commissioning document for the exercise and  (c) the result of the consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: GlobeScan Incorporated were contracted to undertake the Asia consultations which informed the DFID Research Strategy 2008-13. A copy of the Terms of Reference (commissioning document) will be placed in the Library. The contract is a commercial in confidence document. The results of the consultation are available on the DFID Research portal R4D:
	www.research4development.info

Guyana: Rainforests

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding the Government has provided to Guyana for rainforest conservation in each of the last three years; what funding will be provided in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: In the past year (2008-09), DFID has committed £313,000 to work by Guyana on a low carbon investment prospectus and implementation plan, including a costing of conserving Guyana's rainforests. No funds were provided to Guyana for rainforest protection in the previous two years. No decisions have yet been taken on funding for rainforest protection in Guyana in 2009-10.
	Guyana is also a participant in the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Fund (to which the UK has contributed £15 million) and recently submitted its Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation Readiness Plan. Guyana is included in the Caribbean Regional Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, and may also be part of the Caribbean Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (part of the Climate Investment Funds to which the UK is contributing £250 million). DFID officials regularly discuss forest protection with their Guyanese counterparts.

Malaria

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has allocated to research on malaria in each of the last five years; how much has been allocated for these purposes in 2008-09; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: For each of the last five years the Department for International Development (DFID)has allocated the following amounts for malaria-specific research:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 2.35 
			 2004-05 1.8 
			 2005-06 1.7 
			 2006-07 5 
			 2007-08 3 
		
	
	To date for 2008-09 £3 million has been allocated to research on malaria.
	DFID also funds other programmes that include malaria research, but where it is not possible to disaggregate the amounts spent on malaria.

Malawi: Overseas Aid

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the purpose was of the media training provided by the Reuters Foundation and funded by his Department in Malawi in October 2007; who received the training; and what the nature of the training was.

Ivan Lewis: 13 members of staff in the Department for International Development's (DFID) Malawi office received training on the 22 and 23 October 2007. The training was part of a wider programme designed to enable DFID's staff to improve the delivery of programme support in Malawi. The workshops focused on how DFID, as the largest bilateral donor in Malawi, could better engage with the media to influence and advance development policy debate.

Opin Systems

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will place in the Library a copy of the contract between his Department and Opin Systems for a production Oracle database administrator procured by his Department under reference 200708132.

Michael Foster: A redacted copy of the contract between DFID and Opin systems for an Oracle database administrator, will be placed in the Library. The redacted copy is the original version of the contract minus schedule 5, which contains pricing information that we regard as commercial in confidence information. All other sections of the contract have been provided without amendment.

Overseas Aid

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much assistance his Department provided to  (a) China,  (b) Zimbabwe,  (c) Pakistan and  (d) Burma in each of the last 10 years.

Michael Foster: Details on the UK's bilateral expenditure and imputed share of multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA) are contained in the DFID publication "Statistics on International Development". This publication is available from the Library and online at www.dfid.gov.uk. Relevant figures are produced in the following table.
	
		
			  GPEX and ODA imputed multilateral share, 1998-99 to 2007-08 
			  £000 
			   China  Zimbabwe  Pakistan  Burma 
			   GPEX  Imputed multilateral  GPEX  Imputed multilateral  GPEX  Imputed multilateral  GPEX  Imputed multilateral 
			 1998-99 39,190 18,860 29,377 10,020 26 937 21,175 795 206 
			 1999-2000 26,246 3,249 17,464 2,075 23 472 2,105 559 103 
			 2002-01 56,002 2,641 16,230 4,230 15 890 3,072 1,393 540 
			 2001-02 50,266 5,128 17,390 3,429 44 838 25,623 2,279 1,067 
			 2002-03 44,386 3,436 32,746 4,533 46 852 39,756 7,020 2,497 
			 2003-04 42,406 2,772 36,006 2,010 66,299 14,787 3,720 1,435 
			 2004-05 42,476 16,527 27,355 4,062 55,278 15,091 6,008 3,376 
			 2005-06 36,854 5,507 35,376 5,463 97,688 58,671 6,483 3,625 
			 2006-07 60,086 15,870 34,096 7,329 118,150 22,675 7,610 3,140 
			 2007-08 83,743 7,390 46,660 7,894 88,145 58,547 8,915 7,195

Pakistan

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the  (a) purpose of,  (b) duration of and  (c) number of participants in the study tour on social protection in Pakistan funded by his Department via the Economic Policy Research Institute in March 2007 was.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development funded a study tour to South Africa, for 13 government of Pakistan officials between 25 February and 4 March 2007, to review South Africa's social protection programmes. The purpose of the visit was to allow the officials, working on social protection programmes in Pakistan to see at first hand, how programmes of this type have been designed and implemented in a country, which has a recognised and effective social protection system. The tour was organised by South Africa's Economic Policy Research Institute and included a field visit to Soweto.
	Following the visit, Pakistan finalised a national social protection strategy, which was published as government policy in the middle of 2007. This strategy is now being used as the framework for rolling out wider social protection programmes in Pakistan. These include the Benazir Income Support Programme, which is now one of the cornerstones of the government's efforts to protect poor people, especially in the current period of economic instability.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on the distribution of aid to that country.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's (DFID) Country Plan for Pakistan, which the Secretary of State launched in July 2008 during his visit to Pakistan, sets out how we will distribute UK aid to Pakistan over the five-year period 2008-13. The plan was discussed in detail with the Government as it was being prepared and the Secretary of State personally discussed details with Pakistan's Minister of Finance at the time of the launch. The priorities set out in the plan are to: give people access to better health and education, make government more effective, make growth work for everyone, and ensure the international community works better together.
	The Country Plan builds on the 10-year Development Partnership Arrangement which the Prime Ministers of the UK and Pakistan signed in November 2006 which increases UK aid to £480 million over the period 2008-11. Since the launch, high level partnership talks have been held between DFID's Director General for Regional Programmes and Pakistan's Minister for Economic Affairs.
	The Country Plan is available on the DFID website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/pubs/files/pakistan-CAP-08.pdf

Performing Arts

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether his Department has engaged any  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers to support its initiatives over the last five years.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) has engaged actors, musicians and other performers as part of its development programme work in the United Kingdom and overseas. Information on activities involving such performers is not held centrally and it would incur disproportionate costs to disaggregate particular activities from programme budgets.

Public Opinion

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mike Penning) of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 328-32W, on public opinion, if he will place in the Library a copy of each document held by his Department relating to each of the opinion polls and focus groups listed in the answer.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) will place copies of those documents which are on record relating to the focus groups and opinion polls detailed in the answer to the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 328-32W, in the Library of the House.
	Much of the material requested is already available on the DFID website at:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/aboutdfid/intheuk/opinion.asp

TRANSPORT

Biofuels: Oils

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what volume of recycled cooking oil has been used as a biofuel in each year since 2001.

Jim Fitzpatrick: HM Revenue and Customs publishes information on UK sales of biodiesel used for transport fuels in their monthly 'Hydrocarbon Oils Bulletin'. It is not possible to disaggregate recycled cooking oil from other similar oils used as biodiesels as this information is not recorded.
	Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation which came into effect in April 2008, UK transport fuel suppliers are required to report on a monthly basis to the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) on matters such as the feedstock and origin of their biofuels. The RFA's January quarterly report summarises data on fuel supplied between April and October 2008. This report indicates that used cooking oil made up 3 per cent. (22 million litres) of the biofuel supplied over this period to meet the obligation. Their report is available on the RFA website at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/

Borders: Personal Records

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 27 January 2009,  Official Report, columns 279-80W, on borders: personal records, if he will place in the Library copies of the minutes of the Facilitation Stakeholders Forum of meetings at which  (a) the e-Borders programme and  (b) the Authority Carry Scheme were discussed.

Jim Fitzpatrick: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings with private individuals or companies.

Cycling: Helmets

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 9-10W, on cycling: helmets, if he will publish an interim report on the merits of wearing a cycle helmet before the end of 2009.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The research project on cycling and safety is under way and is likely to be three years in duration, but as part of the initial phase of the work we are aiming to complete and publish the review of cycle helmet effectiveness by late 2009.

Departmental Manpower

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of his Department's staff are employed full-time to work on policy on  (a) cycling,  (b) public transport,  (c) walking and  (d) cars and roads.

Geoff Hoon: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 391W.

Driving Tests: Kidderminster

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the decision to close the Kidderminster Driving Test Centre in the light of new evidence made available under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Secretary of State sees no case for reviewing the decision to close the Kidderminster test centre. The information provided in response to the Freedom of Information requests do not affect this decision.

Heathrow Airport

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Putney (Justine Greening) of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1608W, on Heathrow airport, how many individual pieces of correspondence intended for the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport consultation were received from members of the public resident in Maidenhead constituency.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information is not available in the format requested. The "Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport: Report on Consultation Responses" provides a breakdown of responses from members of the public only in terms of London residents inside or outside the 57dBA noise contour and UK residents outside London.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of heavy goods vehicles on UK roads which were registered  (a) in the UK,  (b) elsewhere in the EU and  (c) outside the EU in 2007-08.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of heavy goods vehicles newly registered in Great Britain in 2007 and 2008 were as follows:
	
		
			  Number of heavy goods vehicles newly registered in Great Britain 
			   Thousand 
			 2007 47 
			 2008 53 
		
	
	The Department for Transport does not hold statistics regarding vehicle registrations outside of Great Britain.

Heavy Goods Vehicles

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles he estimates heavy goods vehicles registered  (a) in and  (b) outside the UK have travelled on roads in the UK in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 February 2009,  Official Report, column 857W.

Intercity Express Programme

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on consultants during the procurement process for the Intercity Express Programme since 2007.

Paul Clark: The Intercity Express Programme represents the most significant UK rolling stock investment ever and appropriate resources are therefore required to ensure best value is achieved both for rail passengers and taxpayers.
	The Department for Transport has committed a total of £4.2 million in 2007 and £8.0 million from 2008 to end January 2009. This includes all of the project and programme management; business case; technical; financial; legal; procurement; and industry advisers required to deliver a programme valued at £7.5 billion.

Jalal Ahmed

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether Jalal Ahmed has received security clearance in respect of his employment as a baggage handler at Luton Airport; whether he has access to military aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Personnel and physical security checks are in place for all staff working airside at UK airports, but it would be inappropriate for the detail of those checks to be placed in the public domain. A baggage handler at Luton airport would have no legitimate access to any military aircraft. We are currently reviewing personnel security measures across the transport sector in the light of the report delivered last July by Stephen Boys Smith.

Lorries: Testing

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials have had with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency on changes to mechanisms and fees for goods vehicle testing.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 19 March 2009
	The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) is responsible for setting and administering testing fees for goods vehicles and their operators.
	Since VOSA is established as a Trading Fund it is required to set fees each year at a level to meet their outgoings. On the 6 November 2008, following discussion with Department for Transport officials and myself, VOSA issued a public consultation on changes to the level and structure of its fees for the testing of goods vehicles and operators, to come into effect in April of this year.
	Discussions with the agency included analysis to ensure that:
	the proposed fees have been calculated in line with Government guidance on the setting of statutory fees;
	there was sound and appropriate assumptions upon which the agency's financial forecasts are based; and
	the proposals provide sufficient revenues to support the policies and objectives of the Department.
	Following closure of the public consultation on 29 January 2009, the agency has undertaken analyses of the responses from the consultation. The agency has since held further discussion with Department officials to consider its recommendations on fees in light of responses to the consultation and of direct discussion between representatives of trade associations and Department officials.
	The agency's final recommendations will be the subject of discussion with me in the next few weeks so that changes to fees can be implemented in April.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he is making of the merits of withdrawal of the system of statutory off-road notification; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Statutory off road notification (SORN) is an integrated part of effective vehicle excise duty (VED) compliance. The measure of its effectiveness is in reducing the level of non-compliance. The 2008 survey of compliance showed that VED evasion is less than 1 per cent. No formal review of the merits of SORN has been undertaken and there are no plans to change the requirement.

Motor Vehicles: Safety

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many certificates of initial fitness were issued by Vehicle and Operator Services Agency in respect of imported stretch limousines in 2008.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) has only recently introduced the capacity to record a specific vehicle type as a limousine. Previously vehicles were classed as either cars or Public Service Vehicles (PSV).
	VOSA issued 19 Certificates of Initial Fitness (COIF) in 2008 for limousines. VOSA is unable to distinguish whether the vehicles were imported or not.

Motor Vehicles: Safety

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many public service vehicle operators' licences were issued by traffic commissioners in each area in respect of stretch limousines in  (a) 2003 and  (b) 2008; and how many such licences related to limousines able to carry (i) more than eight and (ii) eight or fewer passengers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: There are no records of limousine operators for 2003 as our business system does not differentiate between types of vehicles operated on a PSV licence at that time.
	In recent years we have started keeping separate records for limousine operators and the information for operator licences granted in 2008 shows that 116 restricted licences and 11 standard national licences have been issued. All of these licences have limousine conditions attached and the operators applied to run vehicles with eight passenger seats or fewer.
	Any operator who applied for a licence to run a limousine with more than eight passenger seats is not recorded as they are run under normal PSV regulations and these vehicles should have a COIF (Certificate of Initial Fitness).

Navigation: Republic of Ireland

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress he has made on implementation of his commitment to require the Republic of Ireland to meet the full costs of providing aids to navigation on their coast; and how much, and what percentage, of the estimated shortfall in 2009-10 in income from light dues is attributable to activities related to the cost of providing aids to navigation for the Irish Republic.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Her Majesty's Government have been reviewing the current funding arrangements for the Commissioners of Irish Lights with the Government of the Republic of Ireland. Negotiations are in progress and have resulted in agreement over the apportionment of costs between Northern Ireland and the Republic in accordance with the Evidence Review undertaken last year. Maintaining an integrated aids to navigation service around the whole of our coasts benefits both our countries. The two governments are reviewing the benefits enjoyed by each country from this integrated approach, which will inform our continuing work to ensure that a more sustainable funding solution for Irish Lights is put in place.
	There is no shortfall in light dues income in 2009-10 that can be directly attributed to activities related to the cost of providing aids to navigation for the Irish Republic. However if we take no action to increase light dues, we expect a shortfall of income against expenditure for the General Lighthouse Fund of some £21 million in 2009-10. We estimate that at current exchange rates the net cost to the fund of providing aids to navigation in the Republic of Ireland for the year will be up to £13 million.

Parking: Regulation

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals for the regulation of parking on private land; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The Secretary of State for Transport has no plans at present to bring forward legislative proposals that would affect the right of the owners of private land in England to conduct parking business on that land.

Railways

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the Scottish economy of a new dedicated high-speed rail line from London to Edinburgh or Glasgow;
	(2)  whether he has made an assessment of the effects on  (a) UK gross domestic product and  (b) the regional economies of (i) the North West and (ii) the North East of a new high-speed line to each of these regions.

Paul Clark: The national and regional economic effects of high speed rail were assessed in the 2003 Atkins high speed rail study, commissioned by the Strategic Rail Authority. The summary report may be accessed on the Department for Transport's website
	www.dft.gov.uk

Railways: Access

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to improve access for  (a) people with disabilities,  (b) the elderly and  (c) young families with prams to trains and railway stations in the Greater Manchester area.

Paul Clark: The Government have a strong record on improving the accessibility of our railways. Over 1,100 stations have already been earmarked for access improvements through our £370 million 'Access for All' programme and around 4,900 rail vehicles already meet modern access standards. All trains must be accessible by no later than 1 January 2020.
	Specifically in the Greater Manchester area:
	£1.7 million has been awarded to Greater Manchester PTE, First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail, from the Access for All Small Schemes Fund, to match fund projects with a total value of £3.9 million at over 60 stations serving the Greater Manchester area. Improvements include ramps, accessible toilets, new customer information systems and a range of other access enhancements.
	Hazel Grove station has new lifts installed under the Access for All main programme, with a further five stations currently at design stage and targeted to receive an accessible, obstacle free route by 2011 (Manchester Oxford Road, Cheadle Hulme, Blackburn, Marple and Littleborough).
	Virgin Trains and TransPennine Express operate fully accessible fleets of trains and Northern Rail has improved the accessibility of its fleet of rail vehicles through refurbishment.
	These improvements whilst primarily aimed at improving access for disabled people, also meet the needs of other passengers including older people and those travelling with children in prams.

Railways: Access

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent steps his Department has taken to improve access for  (a) people with disabilities,  (b) the elderly and  (c) young families with prams at Cheadle Hulme Station.

Paul Clark: Improving access for passengers with reduced mobility is a key objective of the Department for Transport and is central to the Railways for All strategy which was published in March 2006.
	Cheadle Hulme has been targeted to receive an accessible, obstacle free route to platforms serving passenger trains under the main Access for All programme. Plans have now reached detailed design stage and Network Rail intends to start work on site during summer 2009, with completion expected during 2010.
	In addition, Greater Manchester PTE has been awarded £50,000 from the Access for All fund for a £100,000 project to install a new public address system, customer help points and CCTV at Cheadle Hulme station.
	Further funding for access enhancements will be available each year until 2015 and we would welcome further applications.

Railways: Greater Manchester

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many train services on average ran on each week day in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009 to date between Manchester and (i) Heald Green, (ii) Bramhall, (iii) Cheadle Hulme, (iv) Gatley, (v) Davenport, (vi) Hazel Grove and (vii) Woodsmoor;
	(2)  what the average journey time by train was from Manchester to  (a) Heald Green,  (b) Bramhall,  (c) Cheadle Hulme,  (d) Gatley,  (e) Davenport,  (f) Hazel Grove and  (g) Woodsmoor in each year since 1997.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not hold the information at the level of detail requested. However, Network Rail is the custodian of timetable and performance data for the rail industry, and will be able to provide this information. The hon. Member should contact Network Rail's chief executive at the following address for a response to his questions:
	Iain Coucher
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	40 Melton Street
	London
	NW1 2EE.

Railways: West Midlands

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when he expects High Speed Two Ltd. to put forward proposals for a new high speed rail line from the West Midlands to Scotland;
	(2)  which  (a) cities and  (b) counties he has asked High Speed Two Ltd to include in plans for a new high speed rail line between the West Midlands and Scotland.

Paul Clark: "High Speed Two", has been formed to help develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland.
	My noble Friend, Lord Adonis, has written to Sir David Rowlands at "High Speed Two" setting out what the Government expect of the company. A copy of this letter is available in the Libraries of the House.
	As a first stage, High Speed Two will report by the end of the year with a proposed route from London to the West Midlands, setting out any necessary options, including for stations. It will also consider the potential for new lines to serve the north of England and Scotland, providing advice on the potential development of a high speed line beyond the West Midlands, at the level of broad "corridors". We have asked the company to consider in particular the potential for HS2 to extend to the conurbations of Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland.

Renewable Energy: EC Action

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on powers to set sustainability requirements additional to the Renewable Energy Directive.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The UK Government participated in European negotiations on the Renewable Energy Directive that resulted in the inclusion of sustainability requirements relating to direct environmental impacts, and will continue to work with the European Commission, as proposals to account for indirect environmental impacts are being considered.
	Member states will not be permitted to impose sustainability requirements additional to those in the Renewable Energy Directive. A provision in the directive (expected to be article 18(8) in the final published version of the directive) prohibits member states from refusing to take into account biofuels which meet the directive's sustainability requirements, on other grounds of sustainability.

Road Works

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many schemes to introduce permitting for street works his Department has introduced under the powers contained in the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Paul Clark: A number of applications to operate permit schemes under the Traffic Management Act 2004 received by the Department for Transport are currently under consideration.

Tracking the Vehicles Through the Trade

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency initiative Tracking the Vehicles Through the Trade has been implemented.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Work on the initiative was stopped in May 2007, prior to implementation. This was due to conflicting demands for development resource from higher priority initiatives.

Transport: Expenditure

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect of the £700 million brought forward for transport spending in 2009-10 on  (a) the transport budget for 2010-11 and  (b) transport projects planned for 2010-11.

Geoff Hoon: The £700 million fiscal stimulus package for transport, announced in the pre-Budget report, "Facing global challenges: Supporting people through difficult times" (Cm 7484), has the effect of increasing the Department's capital departmental expenditure limit (CDEL) for 2009-10 by £700 million, funded through a reduction of the same size in the CDEL for 2010-11.
	In terms of the impact on transport projects previously planned for 2010-11, the effect of the fiscal stimulus package is to mean that some will start a year earlier. Some of the financial package, however, represents the earlier use than previously planned of funds that had not yet been allocated to specific projects.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what assessment her Office has made of the effect of workers being employed on the Olympic village on the availability of labour for construction projects (a) in Cumbria, (b) in Copeland constituency and (c) elsewhere.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has not made an assessment of the effect of workers being employed on the Olympic village on the availability of labour for construction projects elsewhere.
	ConstructionSkills, the industry Sector Skills Council, undertakes research into skills requirements and other issues to inform policy development. The Olympic village is an important construction programme, but various other projects and factors, including mobility, also impact on labour availability.
	According to ConstructionSkills' most recent research around one in ten (9 per cent) of those with a permanent address in the North West are working on sites outside the region. This is half the average amount for UK/Republic of Ireland. 1 per cent of the London workforce originates from the North West.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum: Castle Point

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any asylum seekers are housed in Castle Point constituency; and what her Department's future plans are to house asylum seekers there.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 67W.
	Further to that reply information on asylum is published annually and quarterly. Statistics for end of March 2009 will be available in May 2009 from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	Asylum support accommodation is identified and provided by accommodation providers holding contracts with the UK Border Agency. It is therefore for accommodation providers within a specified region to determine where they provide specific accommodation in consultation with the local authorities and other key stakeholders. The one accommodation provider operating in Essex has confirmed that currently it has no plans to procure accommodation in the Castle Point constituency.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Official Hospitality

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's entertainment budget has been since its inception.

Mike O'Brien: The Department has no entertainment budget.

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much expenditure was incurred in respect of overseas visits which  (a) he,  (b) other Ministers in his Department and  (c) his Department's senior officials undertook in 2008.

Mike O'Brien: The Department for Energy and Climate Change was not in existence in F/Y 2007-08. However, since 1999, the Government have published a list of all overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over £500. Information for the financial year 2007-08 was published on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 102WS and for the first time, included details of overseas visits undertaken by all Ministers. All travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the "Ministerial Code".

Electricity Generation

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to encourage the distributed energy distribution network use of system charging on a cost reflective basis;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to encourage small suppliers of distributed energy to operate on the public electricity distribution network;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to reduce the burden of licensing regulation on small distributed energy operators;
	(4)  what steps he is taking to assist distributed energy operators to interact with the electricity system on a cost-proportionate basis;
	(5)  what work the Distributed Energy Working Group has undertaken; and what further work is planned.

Mike O'Brien: In line with a commitment in the Energy White Paper 2007 DECC and Ofgem have agreed a set of proposals to allow larger DE schemes to become licensed suppliers operating on the public network, in a way that is proportionate to their size and impact.
	The proposals are set out in a decision letter published by Ofgem on 6 February 2009. The letter includes a statutory consultation notice to implement a new standard licence condition that will mean that DE schemes do not have to be a direct party to costly and complex industry codes where they have alternative arrangements in place.
	The letter also sets out guidance for the development and provision of supplier services agreements that will enable DE schemes and small suppliers to operate on the public electricity distribution network, with support from larger suppliers.
	The 'Distributed Energy Working Group' was set up to advise on development of these proposals. Full details of the Group and its activity are on the Ofgem website:
	www.ofgem.gov.uk
	There are no plans to continue to meet with the Distributed Energy Working Group as currently constituted. Members of the group continue to be involved in the development of wider Distributed Energy and Heat policy in other fora.
	Distributed Energy Consultations published by Government and Ofgem have highlighted concerns that the current charging regime for using the distribution network does not properly reflect the benefits that DE can bring. These findings have been fed into a separate and ongoing project on the structure of use of system charges. This work is led by Ofgem working with distribution network operators.

Energy: Conservation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has issued advice to  (a) Government Departments,  (b) businesses and  (c) consumers on how to increase their energy efficiency.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 16 March 2009
	The Department provides a broad range of advice on improving energy efficiency:
	 (a) The Government's Delivery Plan for Sustainable Procurement and Operations on the Government Estate, published in August 2008, sets out how the Government are supporting increased energy efficiency in central Government Departments. It provides guidance on meeting carbon reduction targets, purchasing energy efficient products, and collaborative procurement opportunities.
	Salix Finance Ltd. is an independent, publicly funded company set up by the Carbon Trust to accelerate public sector investment in energy efficiency technologies to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy bills.
	 (b) The DECC-funded Carbon Trust provides information and advice to help businesses and public sector organisations improve their energy efficiency. Advice is delivered via the Carbon Trust website, dedicated advice line, and a range of further services for organisations of different sizes.
	The Government are taking steps to improve the ease with which businesses can access advice on improving their energy and resource efficiency, in particular through Business Link and through the Government's "Real Help for Business" communications campaign, which provides specific advice on how businesses can save money by improving their resource efficiency.
	 (c) DECC also grant funds The Energy Saving Trust (EST) to support its work reducing carbon emissions from the household sector. The EST is a non-profit organisation, which provides free, impartial advice that plays an important role in helping the Government meet their climate change targets and is a key partner in the Act on CO2 campaign.
	Through the Act on CO2 Advice line which was launched in April 2008 and regional one-stop shop advice centres, the EST works directly with consumers to help them reduce their carbon footprint with respect to energy, waste, water and transport.

Environmental Transformation Fund

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which projects for which his Department is responsible are receiving funding from the Environmental Transformation Fund; how much each has received from the Fund since its inception; and what further projects are planned.

Joan Ruddock: The UK element of the Environmental Transformation Fund, which was formerly jointly led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, has been led by the Department of Energy and Climate Change since its creation in autumn 2008.
	There are a number of new projects under the UK Environmental Transformation Fund which are under active consideration at present—announcements will be made in due course. The most recent spend figures are as follows:
	
		
			  Project  Amount spent since April 2008 (£000) 
			 Anaerobic Digestion Demonstration (1)100 
			 Bio-energy 1,513 
			 Carbon Abatement Technologies 5,969 
			 Carbon Trust funding for activities which support the development and deployment of low carbon technologies 34,400 
			 Electricity Networks 95 
			 Field trials and monitoring of energy saving techniques in domestic settings 394 
			 Hydrogen Fuel Cells 947 
			 International work 262 
			 Low Carbon Buildings 10,645 
			 Renewables Deployment 1,233 
			 Renewable Energy Strategy 54 
			 Severn Tidal Power Feasibility Studies 2,155 
			 Support to Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment for Emerging Energy Technologies 708 
			 Wave and Tidal Energy 818 
			 Wind Energy 226 
			 (1) Estimate. 
		
	
	The £800 million Environmental Transformation Fund—International Window is jointly owned by my Department and the Department for International Development. It has been allocated by the UK to the multi-donor Climate Investment Funds.
	The first instalment of funds (£100 million) is in the process of being disbursed to the Climate Investment Funds. Following the Treasury allocations at the time of the spending review, £200 million will be disbursed in 2009-10 and £500 million in 2010-11.
	The Climate Investment Funds are comprised of several funds and programmes. Funding is allocated on the basis of programmatic investment plans submitted by the recipient country. The Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience Committee has invited eight countries to become pilot countries for the programme (Bangladesh, Bolivia, Cambodia, Mozambique, Nepal, Niger, Tajikistan and Zambia). The Clean Technology Fund Committee has also endorsed the investment plans of Egypt, Mexico and Turkey.
	The funds will be administered by the World Bank with individual programmes implemented through any one of the Multilateral Development Banks. We expect UN agencies to participate as delivery agents. More information can be viewed at:
	www.WorldBank.org/cif

Lighting

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many of the 100 million  (a) free and  (b) subsidised low-energy light bulbs which the Government undertook to provide under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target have been distributed.

Joan Ruddock: The Government have not undertaken to distribute any particular number of low energy lamps under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT). Energy suppliers may choose to meet their carbon saving obligation through any mix of approved measures. During the first three quarters of CERT (April to December 2008), suppliers reported to the scheme administrator, Ofgem, that they had distributed 120.6 million low energy lamps.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire of 12 December 2008 transferred to him from the Prime Minister on the Renewable Energy Strategy.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 February 2009
	I responded to the hon. Member on 30 January.

National Home Energy Programme

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate has been made of the effectiveness of the expenditure of new money being provided by energy companies and generators under the Government's National Home Energy Programme; how many schemes have been established through use of that money; and how many  (a) low income households and  (b) households with elderly people received assistance from that money.

Joan Ruddock: The Home Energy Saving Programme—announced in September 2008—included proposals to increase the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) on energy suppliers and introduce a new obligation on energy suppliers and electricity generators—the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP). The detailed proposals for the CERT amendment and the CESP are currently out to consultation. The September package also included additional Government expenditure for the Warm Front Scheme and Cold Weather Payments.
	The CESP partial impact assessment published as part of that consultation has estimated that perhaps 90,000 households in low income areas can expect to be supported with energy savings measures as a result of the scheme.
	The increase in CERT activity is expected to deliver something in the order of an extra £460 million worth of support for low income households and the elderly (known as the priority group). Further details are available in the CERT partial impact assessment, and can be viewed on the DECC consultation website at:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/open/cert/cert.aspx

Office for Renewable Energy Deployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the operational budget is of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment for the 12 months following its establishment.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 March 2009
	 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 6 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1887W, regarding the budget for the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment (ORED).
	The ORED's budget for 2009-10 is currently subject to the business planning round process in the Department.

Office for Renewable Energy Deployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of  (a) full-time and  (b) other staff who will be employed by the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment when it has been fully established.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 March 2009
	 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 6 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1887W, regarding the number of staff employed by the Office for Renewable Energy Development (ORED).
	The number of staff for ORED will depend on the outcome of the business planning round process in the Department and decisions on the scope and range of activities the ORED will be asked to take forward following publication of the finalised UK Renewable Energy Strategy.

Office for Renewable Energy Deployment

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many  (a) full-time and  (b) other staff in his Department are engaged in the establishment of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 16 March 2009
	 The Department is involving a number of its staff in the planning for the establishment of the Office for Renewable Energy Deployment (ORED). This includes a number of staff presently working on renewable energy deployment issues. While I am unable to give precise full time equivalent numbers, the Department is also providing additional resource as necessary to deal with legal, financial, human resources and media issues associated with the establishment of the office.

Trade Unions

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which trade unions are recognised in his Department.

Mike O'Brien: DECC has yet to put in place a formal recognition agreement with our departmental trade unions but we are actively working to establish such an agreement. In common with many other civil service Departments and agencies it is our intent to recognise FDA, Prospect and the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) all of which are members of the Council of Civil Service Unions.

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff of each grade in his Department work primarily on the Warm Front scheme.

Joan Ruddock: DECC currently has five officials who work primarily on the Warm Front Scheme. They are one senior executive officer, two higher executive officers, one executive officer and one administrative officer. In addition, other, more senior officials spend part of their time working on the scheme.
	The work of these officials is supplemented by expert advice from finance, legal, procurement and contract staff.

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's expenditure on the Warm Front scheme has been in each month of financial year 2008-09 to date.

Joan Ruddock: The information requested can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Warm front spend 2008-09 
			   £ 
			 April 2008 49,579,714 
			 May 2008 59,247,634 
			 June 2008 33,295,286 
			 July 2008 33,377,394 
			 August 2008 29,326,235 
			 September 2008 25,000,989 
			 October 2008 25,973,827 
			 November 2008 26,362,569 
			 December 2008 35,440,683 
			 January 2009 32,994,210 
			 Total 350,598,540

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which contractors are used for the delivery of the Warm Front scheme in each Government office region.

Joan Ruddock: The installers working on the Warm Front scheme in each Government office region can be seen in the following table:
	
		
			  Government office region  Installer 
			 East Midlands Better Plumbing Services Ltd. 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Blue Flag Ltd. 
			  EAGA Social Housing Ltd. 
			  East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 
			  Interglow (Contracts) Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  KHI Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  Mark Insulations Ltd. 
			  Paul Brant Plumbing and Heating 
			  Perry Electrical Ltd. 
			  Smethwick Energy Action Ltd. 
			  Staywarm Insulation 
			  Sun Realm Heating Co. Ltd. 
			  Westville Ltd. 
			  A & M Insulation (formerly JSL) 
			  EAGA Home Services 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			   
			 East of England Anglian Insulations Ltd. 
			  Aran Services 
			  Castle Point Insulation Ltd. 
			  Cosytop Thermal Insulations Ltd. 
			  Dawsetway Ltd. 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Eastern Contracting 
			  Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 
			  Igloo Insulation 
			  Interglow (Contracts) Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  Lion Insulation Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  Orion Insulation And Construction Services Ltd. 
			  Quality Heating Services Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  Southern Electric Contracting Ltd. 
			  Staywarm Insulation 
			  Sun Realm Heating Co. Ltd. 
			  West Anglia Insulation Ltd. 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			   
			 North East A & N Evans Plumbing & Heating Ltd. 
			  Blue Flag Ltd. 
			  Darfield Heating Services Ltd. 
			  Dyson Insulations Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  Everwarm Services Ltd. 
			  Fenhams Contracts 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Karnheath Ltd. 
			  KNW Ltd. 
			  Middlesbrough Insulation Co. Ltd. T/A Heatpac 
			  Miller Pattison Ltd. (Bedworth) 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  On Tap Heating Ltd. 
			  The Heating Company (UK) Ltd. T/A Total Trade Services 
			  The Insulation Company (T.I.C.) 
			  UK Quality Solutions Ltd. 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			   
			 North West A & M Insulations Ltd. (St. Helens) 
			  A.K.M. Heating Ltd. 
			  Amara Heating Ltd. 
			  Amberglow Central Heating Services 
			  AMD Heating 
			  A.W. Fairhurst Ltd. 
			  BGC Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Blue Flag Ltd. 
			  Compass Gas Ltd. 
			  Complete Electrical (UK) Ltd. 
			  Cosyseal Insulation Ltd. 
			  Dane Housing (Congleton) Ltd. 
			  Direct Line Maintenance Services Ltd. 
			  Dyson Insulations Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Enterprise Managed Services Ltd. 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  Fenhams Contracts 
			  Gas Call Services Ltd. 
			  Gavin Ward Ltd. 
			  Glowarm DSP Ltd. 
			  Harland Rise Ltd. 
			  Heatex Quality Insulation Ltd. 
			  Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 
			  Heating Solutions T/A Premier Energy Solutions 
			  Home Insulation Services NW Ltd. 
			  Homecare Home Improvements 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Insulation UK Ltd 
			  J M C Plumbing & Heating Ltd. 
			  KHI Ltd. 
			  Mark Insulations Ltd. 
			  Mellor Wakefield Ltd. 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  Miller Pattison Ltd. (Warrington) 
			  The Heating Company (UK) Ltd. T/A Total Trade Services 
			  The Heating Company (UK) Ltd. T/A Total Trade Services 
			  The Insulation Company (T.I.C.) 
			  UK Quality Solutions Ltd. 
			  Viscount Environmental Ltd. 
			  Warmer Heating Ltd. 
			  Zanet Ltd. T/A Gascare Heating 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			   
			 South East 1A Autoheat Limited T/A Gascare 
			  1st Saxon—Clenmay Ltd. 
			  A & M Insulations Ltd. (Swindon) 
			  B. Bowden & Co. Ltd. 
			  Castle Point Insulation Ltd. 
			  Cosytop Thermal Insulations Ltd. 
			  Dawsetway Ltd. 
			  Downs Insulation & Electrical Ltd. 
			  East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Eastern Contracting 
			  Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 
			  Homewarm Ltd. 
			  Igloo Insulation 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Instafoam & Fibre Ltd. 
			  Interglow (Contracts) Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  Lion Insulation Ltd. 
			  Mark Insulations Ltd. 
			  MG Heating (IW) Ltd. 
			  Miller Pattison Ltd. (Crawley) 
			  EAGA Home Services 
			  Orion Insulation and Construction Services Ltd. 
			  Quake Energy 
			  Quality Heating Services Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  Southern Electric Contracting Ltd. (Sec) 
			  Sun Realm Heating Co. Ltd. 
			  Swale Heating Ltd. 
			  Warmerhome (Southern) Ltd. 
			  Warm-Space Insulation Ltd. 
			  Wessex Electricals (Shaftesbury) Ltd. 
			  West Anglia Insulation Ltd. 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			  A & M Insulations Ltd. (Swindon) 
			  Domestic & General Insulation Ltd. 
			   
			 South West East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Excelsior Homecare Ltd. 
			  Fenhams Contracts 
			  Harland Rise Ltd. 
			  Ivor R. Cook Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  Iguana Service Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  Mark Insulations Ltd. 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  Southern Electric Contracting Ltd. (SEC) 
			  Warm-Space Insulation Ltd. 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			  ABCO Thermal Insulation 
			  BGC Gas Services Ltd. 
			   
			 West Midlands Blue Flag Ltd. 
			  Central Installations Ltd. 
			  Dane Housing (Congleton) Ltd. 
			  Direct Line Maintenance Services Ltd. 
			  Domestic & General Insulation Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Envirowarm Ltd. 
			  Excelsior Homecare Ltd. 
			  F. J. Jones Heating Engineers Ltd. 
			  Fenhams Contracts 
			  General Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Harland Rise Ltd. 
			  Heatex Quality Insulation Ltd. 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Insulation Techniques and Services Ltd. 
			  Interglow (Contracts) Ltd. 
			  Ivor R. Cook Ltd. 
			  J M C Plumbing & Heating Ltd. 
			  Kelco Heating Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  KHI Ltd. 
			  Mark Insulations Ltd. 
			  EAGA Homes Services 
			  Miller Pattison Ltd. (Bedworth) 
			  P.H. Jones Ltd. 
			  Smethwick Energy Action Ltd. 
			  Sol Energy Ltd. 
			  Warm-Space Insulation Ltd. 
			  A & M Insulation (formerly JSL) 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd. 
			  Better Plumbing Services Ltd. 
			   
			 Yorkshire and the Humber East Coast Gas Services Ltd. 
			  Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. 
			  Kershaw Contracting Services Ltd. 
			  KHI Ltd. 
			  Iguana Services Ltd. 
			  Perry Electrical Ltd. 
			  R.G. Francis 
			  A & M Insulation (formerly JSL) 
			  EAGA Home Services 
			  EAGA Renewables Ltd.

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been spent on the Heating Rebate Scheme in each year since its inception.

Joan Ruddock: The amounts spent on the Heating Rebate Scheme since it was introduced in 2006, based on financial years are as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 1,097,047 
			 2007-08 21,117,583 
			 2008-09 (1)21,366,302 
			 (1) April 2008 to January 2009

Warm Front Scheme

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the budget of the Heating Rebate Scheme is for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) each of the next five financial years.

Joan Ruddock: The Warm Front £300 heating rebate has not been allocated a set budget and vouchers are currently provided in all instances where a valid application is made.

Warm Front Scheme

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in  (a) West Lancashire constituency and  (b) England have received Warm Front grants in each year since the establishment of the scheme.

Joan Ruddock: The table shows the number of households in West Lancashire and England that received Warm Front grants to improve their energy efficiency in each year since 2000.
	
		
			  Assisted households 
			  Scheme year  West Lancashire  England 
			 2000-01 365 97,616 
			 2001-02 1,018 307,678 
			 2002-03 467 219,328 
			 2003-04 534 188,974 
			 2004-05 1,052 208,084 
			 2005-06 905 173,184 
			 2006-07 763 253,079 
			 2007-08 858 268,900 
			 2008-09 599 181,080 
			 Total 6,561 1,897,923

Warm Front Scheme: Contracts

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change until what date the Government's contract with eaga to manage the Warm Front scheme runs.

Joan Ruddock: The current contract to manage the Warm Front Scheme runs until June 2010, with the option of a two year extension.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Churches: Repairs and Maintenance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what funding the Church Commissioners have allocated for repairs to historic churches in each of the last three years.

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners' main expenditure priorities are clergy pensions, parish mission and ministry support and support for bishops' and cathedrals' ministries.
	Their support for church building repair or preservation is limited to their chancel repair liabilities, assistance to cathedrals with chancel repair liabilities, and their part-funding of the work of the Churches Conservation Trust. The combined expenditure in these categories in the last three years for which figures are available was:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005 l.7 
			 2006 l.8 
			 2007 1.7

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Arms Trade: Exports

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many applications for licences for arms exports to each country in  (a) Asia and  (b) Africa have been refused under the European Code of Conduct on Arms Export since 1998; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Government publish detailed information on export: licences issued, refused and revoked, by destination, including a summary of the items covered by these licences, and where appropriate the criterion against which the licence has been refused, in its Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls.
	The Government's Annual Reports, published since 1997, and Quarterly Reports, published since 2004, are available from the House of Commons Library and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-the-fco/publications/publications/annual-reports/export-controlsl
	The latest date for which information is available is 30 September 2008.

Huntingdon Life Sciences: Bank Services

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the cost of providing  (a) banking and  (b) insurance facilities to Huntingdon Life Sciences in each year since 2001.

Ian Pearson: There has been no cost to the Department for the provision of any such facilities to Huntingdon Life Sciences since 2001.

Manufacturing Industries: Motor Vehicles

Frank Field: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will co-operate with other European governments to loan money to  (a) GM Motors,  (b) Opel and  (c) Vauxhall car manufacturers to support these companies during the economic downturn.

Ian Pearson: I had a constructive meeting in Brussels with GM Europe and ministerial counterparts from EU member states on 13 March. We are waiting to see GM Europe's future plan and, when this is made available, we will be able to discuss how we can best continue to help the company.

Motor Vehicles: Government Assistance

Frank Field: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much of the £2.3 billion set aside to support the UK car industry has been spent.

Ian Pearson: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Southwark and Bermondsey (Simon Hughes) on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1130W.

Motor Vehicles: Industry

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost to the public purse was of the motor industry summit held on 28 January 2009.

Ian Pearson: The meeting took place in the BERR Conference Centre and light refreshments were provided. The hard charged (internal cost) room rate was £110 and the catering cost £28.75. This does not include the costs for the time of those who attended the summit.

Union Modernisation Fund

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1700W, on the union modernisation fund, if he will ask his Department's Accounting Officer to assess the appropriateness of the practice of the Supervisory Board of not keeping formal records of its decisions.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 March 2009
	The functions and remit of the board, which was established following a public consultation, includes:
	"The board will be advised and supported by BERR officials. Subject to this the board is responsible for determining its own procedures, including protocol in cases of possible conflicts of interest."

Union Modernisation Fund

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1700W, on the union modernisation fund, how decisions of the Supervisory Board are  (a) recorded and  (b) communicated to Ministers.

Patrick McFadden: Action records are kept of the decisions taken and these are communicated to Ministers by the secretariat.

Union Modernisation Fund

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1700W, on the union modernisation fund, if he will make it his Department's policy to require the Supervisory Board to produce formal minutes in line with the guidance documents of  (a) the Records Management Code and  (b) Managing Private Office Records.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 March 2009
	The UMF Supervisory Board's remit was set following a consultation. Part of its remit is:
	"The board will be advised and supported by BERR officials. Subject to this the board is responsible for determining its own procedures, including protocol in cases of possible conflicts of interest".

Union Modernisation Fund

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform who the  (a) members and  (b) chairmen of the Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board are.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 12 March 2009
	The members of the Supervisory Board are:
	Sir Bill Connor (Chair)
	Bruce Warman
	Professor Willy Brown, CBE
	Jeannie Drake, CBE
	Danny Carrigan
	Adrian Askew
	In addition two new board members have joined this month they are:
	Professor David Gordon
	David Lebrecht

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Allotments

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to ensure parish and town councils which wish to provide allotments for residents are able to do so.

Margaret Beckett: Parish and town councils which wish to provide allotments for residents are already able to do so. Section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 places a duty on local authorities (except for inner London boroughs) to provide sufficient allotments where they consider that there is a demand for them in their area.
	My noble Friend Baroness Andrews recently hosted a meeting with allotment policy stakeholders to consider current trends, issues and priorities for action and with their help we are drawing up options about how we can provide further support to local authorities, including parish and town councils
	One of the key actions that came out of that meeting is to update the good practice guidance, "growing in the community", with a clear map of allotment law/guidance to ensure that all councils are aware of their obligations and good practice in the provision of allotments.

Calor Gas: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on Calor Gas submitting a new application for development on Canvey Island; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government understands that no new application has been submitted to Castlepoint borough council by Calor Gas for development on Canvey Island. My right hon. Friend has not received any representations.

Home Improvement Agencies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effect of reductions in private sector housing renewal grants upon home improvement agencies; what representations she has received on this issue; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: £10.2 billion has been allocated by my Department for 2008-11 for regional housing capital programmes including those which address the condition of private sector housing stock. Of this almost £2 billion is for improvements and regeneration to the existing stock (both local authority owned and private sector). We have issued guidance to regional assemblies which asks them to continue to prioritise those most in need with the expectation that packages of assistance including grants, loans, and equity release schemes are made available to individual homeowners.
	Local authorities return information annually through their Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix on the total number and value of grants and loans they provide for private sector renewal. This information is published for each authority and in aggregate form on the Department's website. The Department does not collect information on income streams of home improvement agencies.

Home Improvement Agencies

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has to assist home improvement agencies facing budget difficulties; and what assessment she has made of the future role which may be played by such agencies.

Margaret Beckett: Home improvement agencies (HIAs) are not funded directly by Communities and Local Government. However, there are a number of funding streams which are paid to local authorities which can be used to fund and deliver HIA services. CLG announced a three year allocation for Supporting People in December 2007 of £4.9 billion over period 2008-09 to 2010-11. This provides stability for service planning and delivery over this period. New handypersons funding of £33 million is available over 2009-10 to 2010-11 to build capacity in the sector.
	The Disabled Facilities Grant provides a source of fee income for HIAs. The budget is £468 million over the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11.
	In addition CLG sponsors the national body for HIAs (Foundations) to support the work of the agencies and service commissioners.
	In autumn 2007 CLG commissioned Foundations to carry out research and produce a report on the options for the future delivery of HIA services. A summary report was published in September 2008.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what representations she has received on  (a) the Homes and Communities Agency's £93 million affordable housing programme for London and  (b) the London and Quadrant Up2You portfolio;
	(2)  whether she received an invitation to attend the launch of the £135 million funding package for affordable housing in London on 3 March 2009.

Iain Wright: My officials first received information relating to the Mayor's announcement from the Homes and Communities Agency during the week commencing Monday 23 February 2009. My office received a telephone call of invitation to attend after ordinary working hours on Friday 27 February. No detailed information on the event could be obtained then or subsequently. I later received a letter from the Mayor of London regarding these proposals i.e. on Wednesday 4 March.

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate she has made of the cost of the Infrastructure Planning Commission in its first full year of operation.

Margaret Beckett: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy) on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1108W.

Infrastructure Planning Commission

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what the  (a) salaries,  (b) pension package and  (c) other benefits in kind will be of the Infrastructure Planning Commission's (i) Chairman, (ii) Chief Executive, (iii) board members and (iv) commissioners;
	(2)  which recruitment consultants have been employed to fill Infrastructure Planning Commission positions; and at what cost;
	(3)  what notice periods are specified in the contracts for the Infrastructure Planning Commission  (a) Chairman,  (b) Chief Executive,  (c) board members and  (d) commissioners;
	(4)  how much has been spent on recruitment for members of the Infrastructure Planning Commission; and how much has been allocated in total for such expenditure.

Margaret Beckett: For the remuneration package of the Chair, Deputy Chairs and Commissioners I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Wright), the Under-Secretary of State, to the hon. Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Julia Goldsworthy) on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 1108W. None of the posts are pensionable. There are no other benefits in kind.
	The post of Chief Executive has been advertised recently as a full time post offering a salary in the range £120,000 to £160,000 per annum. The appointment will be pensionable. The structure of the IPC Board will be determined by the Chair when his appointment commences on 1 May.
	A notice period of three months has been specified in the contract agreed with the Chair. The notice to be given by the CEO, Commissioners and board members will be determined when the individuals are identified following the recruitment exercises.
	Veredus were appointed as the recruitment consultants following a competitive tendering process to recruit the Chair, Chief Executive as well as two Deputy Chairs and three Commissioners. The contact cost is £130,630 which is the total amount allocated for recruitment of Commission members. To date £22,466.25 has been paid. It is expected that a further recruitment exercise for Commissioners will be run during 2009. No funds have been allocated at present.

TREASURY

Departmental Billing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of its suppliers his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice in the last four months.

Angela Eagle: For information on performance between November 2008 and January 2009, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 February 2009,  Official Report, column 2099W, to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Stewart Hosie). For February 2009, the Department paid 96.82 per cent. of invoices not in dispute within 10 days.

Efficiency in Public Services Review

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the Gershon Review; and how many civil servants provided support to the review.

Yvette Cooper: In Annex D of "Releasing resources to the front line, Independent Review of Public Sector Efficiency", Sir Peter Gershon thanked the 35 members of the Efficiency Review Team, and set out the organisations from which they were loaned or seconded. Given the cross-cutting nature of the review and the number of organisations involved, HM Treasury does not centrally hold figures showing the total cost. Annex D of the report is available online at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/spending_sr04_efficiency.htm

Members: Correspondence

Michael Spicer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Worcestershire, dated 29 January 2009, transferred from the Department for Communities and Local Government on 9 February 2009, on business diversification grants.

Angela Eagle: The correspondence was transferred from the Department for Communities and Local Government to the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, not HM Treasury.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for West Chelmsford of 6 January 2009 (Treasury reference: 04014/2009) concerning a constituent, Mr Laurence Kyan of Chelmsford.

Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.

Network Rail and BBC: Public Appointments

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government were consulted on the external comparators most appropriate to determine the  (a) salary and  (b) benefits of the (i) chief executive of Network Rail and (ii) director-general of the BBC; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: These are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for Culture, Media and Sport. The Treasury has no role in determining the salary or benefits of either the chief executive of Network Rail or the director-general of the BBC.

Personal Savings

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the promotion of long-term personal savings in the UK.

Ian Pearson: The Government recognise the importance of savings and assets in providing people with independence throughout their lives, security if things go wrong and comfort in retirement.
	The Government have improved incentives to save by introducing Individual Savings Accounts and Child Trust Funds. Meanwhile, the Saving Gateway will be introduced nationally in 2010 to promote saving among working age people on lower incomes. The Government have also legislated for reforms to the private pensions system that will encourage and enable more people to save for their retirement. The reforms include a duty on employers to automatically enrol all eligible workers into a qualifying workplace pension and, for the first time, employers will also be required to contribute to workers pensions. In addition, personal accounts will be introduced to give those currently without access to a good quality workplace pension scheme—in particular, low to moderate earners—the opportunity to save.

Personal Savings

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will hold discussions with UK financial institutions on the competitiveness of their savings products and the incentives they offer to savers.

Ian Pearson: Competitiveness in banking and other markets is governed by competition law and overseen by the Office for Fair Trading and the Competition Commission. Savers can ensure they get the best possible income from their savings by shopping around. The Financial Services Authority publishes comparative tables of savings accounts and the interest rates as part of its Money Made Clear initiative.

Revenue and Customs: Chorley

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many members of staff the HM Revenue and Customs office in Chorley may accommodate at its full capacity.

Stephen Timms: The HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office in Chorley is Lingmell House. It has a net internal area of 1,068m(2). For planning purposes, HMRC would assume a maximum occupancy of 107 based on 10m(2) per head. The actual number would depend on the type of activity being carried out and the design of the building.

Revenue and Customs: Operating Costs

Anne Begg: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of operating HM Revenue and Customs' Debt Management and Banking Unit has been in each year since the introduction of tax credits; and how much was spent on the management and recovery of tax credit overpayments in each year.

Stephen Timms: HMRC's Debt Management and Banking Directorate (DMB) was formed in April 2005 following the creation of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The total operating costs for DMB since formation are as follows:
	
		
			   Net operating costs (£ million)( 1) 
			 2005-06 262.5 
			 2006-07 235.7 
			 2007-08 231.1 
			 (1) Totals comprise paybill, net administration and legal costs for each year. The figures do not include any departmental overheads such as accommodation, IT or other centralised corporate services. The figures quoted include activities undertaken by the directorate not directly associated with debt pursuit and recovery—principally those concerned with general payment processing and banking operations. 
		
	
	Responsibility for the management and recovery of tax credit overpayments is shared between a number of directorates, with DMB taking the lead where direct recovery of an established debt is appropriate.
	Disaggregating the costs for the management or recovery of tax credit overpayments from other tax credit and debt management expenditure could be done only at disproportionate cost.

Royal Mint

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has appointed external advisers to advise on the possible sale of the Royal Mint.

Angela Eagle: The Shareholder Executive has appointed external advisers to support the review of the strategic options for the Royal Mint that is being conducted as part of the Operational Efficiency Programme.

Smuggling: Tobacco

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many illegal cigarettes were seized by HM Revenue and Customs in  (a) the UK and  (b) Northern Ireland in 2008; and what the number seized per head of population was in each case.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 19 March 2009
	High level data on tobacco seizures are published in the HMRC annual reports—available on the HMRC website:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk
	The latest report contains details for 2007-08. However, the information is not collated and recorded in a way that would enable the level of detail requested to be identified.

Taxation: Pensions

Adam Price: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what rate of tax is being applied by HM Revenue and Customs to the remaining lump sums currently being returned by the Government to members of the Bus Employees Superannuation Trust who are aged over 75 years.

Ian Pearson: Taxpayer confidentiality rules mean that I cannot comment on particular cases. However, I understand the rules that apply to lump sums paid to members of the Bus Employees Superannuation Trust are the same as those that apply to other individuals. Guidance on those rules can be found in HMRC's Register Pension Scheme manual, a copy of which can be found on HMRC's website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/rpsmmanual/RPSM09205000.htm

Taxation: Self-assessment

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many people with a BT postcode missed the 31 January deadline for filing their tax returns in each of the last three years; and how much HM Revenue and Customs received in penalties from such persons in each such year;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce the numbers of people who do not meet the annual deadline for filing their tax returns.

Angela Eagle: 28,323 people with a BT postcode missed the 31 January 2009 deadline for filing 2007-08 self assessment tax returns. I would refer to the answer given on 20 May 2008,  Official Report, column 209W, which provided figures for 2006-07. The detail for 2005-06 is not known.
	HMRC does not hold information on how much was received in penalties from such persons in each year.
	The filing deadline is prominently displayed on the tax returns and notices to file, and HMRC issue reminders in advance of the deadline. In addition, HMRC ran a comprehensive publicity campaign to inform both customers and agents of the change in filing dates for the 2007-08 tax return—to 31 October for paper returns and 31 January for returns filed online. This included TV, radio and press advertising, posters and billboards, and online advertising. There was also extensive media coverage.

VAT: Clothing

Mark Oaten: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's policy is on inclusion of school uniforms in Annex III of Directive 2006/112/EC in the current reduced VAT rate negotiations at EU level.

Stephen Timms: The UK's zero VAT rate for young children's clothing, including school uniforms is based on Article 110 of Directive 2006/112/EC. There is currently no scope within Annex III of Directive 2006/112/EC for a reduced VAT rate for school uniforms or children's clothing. Any change to European VAT agreements to allow the introduction of a new reduced rate of VAT to the current list, would require the unanimous agreement of all 27 member states.